Heart Failure Nurses within the Primary Care Setting.

Cardiology services within primary care often focus on disease prevention, early identification of illness and prompt referral for diagnosis and specialist treatment. Due to advances in pharmaceuticals, implantable cardiac devices and surgical interventions, individuals with heart failure are living longer, which can place a significant strain on global healthcare resources. Heart failure nurses in a primary care setting offer a wealth of clinical knowledge and expertise across all phases of the heart failure trajectory and are able to support patients, family members and other community services, including general practitioners. This review examines the recently published evidence on the current and potential future practice of heart failure nurses within primary care.

The Importance of Cultural Awareness in the Management of Heart Failure: A Narrative Review.

Heart failure is a commonly encountered clinical syndrome arising from a range of etiologic cardiovascular diseases and manifests in a phenotypic spectrum of varying degrees of systolic and diastolic ventricular dysfunction. Those affected by this life-limiting illness are subject to an array of burdensome symptoms, poor quality of life, prognostic uncertainty, and a relatively onerous and increasingly complex treatment regimen. This condition occurs in epidemic proportions worldwide, and given the demographic trend in societal ageing, the prevalence of heart failure is only likely to increase. The marked upturn in international migration has generated other demographic changes in recent years, and it is evident that we are living and working in ever more ethnically and culturally diverse communities. Professionals treating those with heart failure are now dealing with a much more culturally disparate clinical cohort. Given that the heart failure disease trajectory is unique to each individual, these clinicians need to ensure that their proposed treatment options and responses to the inevitable crises intrinsic to this condition are in keeping with the culturally determined values, preferences, and worldviews of these patients and their families. In this narrative review, we describe the importance of cultural awareness across a range of themes relevant to heart failure management and emphasize the centrality of cultural competence as the basis of appropriate care provision.

Culture, ethnicity, and socio-economic status as determinants of the management of patients with advanced heart failure who need palliative care: A clinical consensus statement from the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC, the ESC Patient Forum, and the European Association of Palliative Care.

The delivery of effective healthcare entails the configuration and resourcing of health economies to address the burden of disease, including acute and chronic heart failure, that affects local populations. Increasing migration is leading to more multicultural and ethnically diverse societies worldwide, with migration research suggesting that minority populations are often subject to discrimination, socio-economic disadvantage, and inequity of access to optimal clinical support. Within these contexts, the provision of person-centred care requires medical and nursing staff to be aware of and become adept in navigating the nuances of cultural diversity, and how that can impact some individuals and families entrusted to their care. This paper will examine current evidence, provide practical guidance, and signpost professionals on developing cultural competence within the setting of patients with advanced heart failure who may benefit from palliative care.

COVID-19 and myocarditis: a systematic review and overview of current challenges.

Myocardial inflammation in COVID-19 has been documented. Its pathogenesis is not fully elucidated, but the two main theories foresee a direct role of ACE2 receptor and a hyperimmune response, which may also lead to isolated presentation of COVID-19-mediated myocarditis. The frequency and prognostic impact of COVID-19-mediated myocarditis is unknown. This review aims to summarise current evidence on this topic. We performed a systematic review of MEDLINE and Cochrane Library (1/12/19-30/09/20). We also searched clinicaltrials.gov for unpublished studies testing therapies with potential implication for COVID-19-mediated cardiovascular complication. Eligible studies had laboratory confirmed COVID-19 and a clinical and/or histological diagnosis of myocarditis by ESC or WHO/ISFC criteria. Reports of 38 cases were included (26 male patients, 24 aged < 50 years). The first histologically proven case was a virus-negative lymphocytic myocarditis; however, biopsy evidence of myocarditis secondary to SARS-CoV-2 cardiotropism has been recently demonstrated. Histological data was found in 12 cases (8 EMB and 4 autopsies) and CMR was the main imaging modality to confirm a diagnosis of myocarditis (25 patients). There was a substantial variability in biventricular systolic function during the acute episode and in therapeutic regimen used. Five patients died in hospital. Cause-effect relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and myocarditis is difficult to demonstrate. However, current evidence demonstrates myocardial inflammation with or without direct cardiomyocyte damage, suggesting different pathophysiology mechanisms responsible of COVID-mediated myocarditis. Established clinical approaches should be pursued until future evidence support different actions. Large multicentre registries are advisable to elucidate further.

Clinical Value and Time Course of Pericoronary Fat Inflammation in Patients with Angiographically Nonobstructive Coronaries: A Preliminary Report.

The introduction of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin allowed identifying a proportion of subjects with chest pain and electrocardiographic changes suggestive of myocardial infarction showing <50% coronary artery stenosis. PFAI is a coronary CT marker proved to predict outcome in ischemic heart disease. Based on CMR findings, patients were divided into myocarditis (n = 15), MINOCA (n = 14) and TTS (n = 9) groups. The aim was to estimate the value of pFAI in these groups compared to 12 controls. To evaluate the coronary inflammation "time course," 20 patients underwent CMR and coronary CT scan within 8 days from the onset, the others within 60 days. There were higher values of pFAI in myocarditis (-86.45 HU), MINOCA (-84.63 HU) and TTS (-84.79 HU) compared to controls (-96.02 HU; p = 0.0077). Among patients who underwent CT within 8 days from onset, the MINOCA had a significantly higher pFAI value (-76.91 HU) compared to the control group (-96.02 HU; p = 0.0001). In the group that underwent CT later than 8 days, elevated pFAI values persisted only in the myocarditis and TTS groups, and there was no difference between MINOCA and controls. Our study shows that in patients with a diagnosis of MINOCA, there is acute coronary inflammation, which is more evident within one week from the acute event but tends to disappear with time.

Self-care of heart failure patients: practical management recommendations from the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology.

Self-care is essential in the long-term management of chronic heart failure. Heart failure guidelines stress the importance of patient education on treatment adherence, lifestyle changes, symptom monitoring and adequate response to possible deterioration. Self-care is related to medical and person-centred outcomes in patients with heart failure such as better quality of life as well as lower mortality and readmission rates. Although guidelines give general direction for self-care advice, health care professionals working with patients with heart failure need more specific recommendations. The aim of the management recommendations in this paper is to provide practical advice for health professionals delivering care to patients with heart failure. Recommendations for nutrition, physical activity, medication adherence, psychological status, sleep, leisure and travel, smoking, immunization and preventing infections, symptom monitoring, and symptom management are consistent with information from guidelines, expert consensus documents, recent evidence and expert opinion.

Global longitudinal strain in patients with suspected heart failure and a normal ejection fraction: does it improve diagnosis and risk stratification?

Many patients have clinical, structural or bio-marker evidence of heart failure (HF) but a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; HeFNEF). Measurement of global longitudinal strain (GLS) may add diagnostic and prognostic information. Patients with symptoms suggesting heart failure and LVEF ≥50% were studied: 76 had no substantial cardiac dysfunction (left atrial diameter (LAD) <40 mm and amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) <400 ng/l); 99 had "possible HeFNEF" (LAD ≥40 mm or NTproBNP ≥400 ng/l); and 138 had "definite HeFNEF" (LAD ≥40 mm and NTproBNP ≥400 ng/L). Mean LVEF was 58% in each subgroup. Patients with definite HeFNEF were older, more likely to have atrial fibrillation, had more symptoms and signs of fluid retention, were more likely to have right ventricular dysfunction and had higher pulmonary pressures than other groups. Mean GLS (SD) was less negative in patients with definite HeFNEF (-13.6 (3.0)% vs. possible HeFNEF: -15.2 (3.1)% vs. no substantial cardiac dysfunction: -15.9 (2.4)%; p < 0.001). GLS was -19.1 (2.1)% in 20 controls. During a median follow up of 647 days, cardiovascular death or an unplanned hospitalisation for heart failure occurred in 62 patients. In univariable analysis, GLS but not LVEF predicted events. However, in a multi-variable analysis, only urea, NTproBNP, left atrial volume, inferior vena cava diameter and atrial fibrillation independently predicted adverse outcome. GLS is abnormal in patients who have other evidence of HeFNEF, is associated with a worse prognosis in this population but is not a powerful independent predictor of outcome.

IVC diameter in patients with chronic heart failure: relationships and prognostic significance.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the relation between inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter, clinical variables, and outcome in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). BACKGROUND: The IVC distends as right atrial pressure rises. Therefore it might represent an index of HF severity independent of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The relation between IVC diameter and other clinical variables and its prognostic significance in patients with HF has not been explored. METHODS: Outpatients attending a community HF service between 2008 and 2010 were enrolled. Heart failure was defined as the presence of relevant symptoms and signs and objective evidence of cardiac dysfunction: either LVEF <45% or the combination of both left atrial dilation (≥4 cm) and raised amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) ≥400 pg/ml. Patients were followed for a median of 567 (interquartile range: 413 to 736) days. The primary composite endpoint was cardiovascular death and HF hospitalization. RESULTS: Among the 693 patients enrolled, median age was 73 years, 33% were women, and 568 had HF. Patients with HF in the highest tertile of IVC diameter were older; had lower body mass index; were more likely to have atrial fibrillation and to be treated with diuretics; and had larger left atrial volumes, higher pulmonary pressures, and less negative values for global longitudinal strain. The LVEF and systolic blood pressure were similar across tertiles of IVC diameter. The IVC diameter and log [NT-proBNP] were correlated (r = 0.55, p < 0.001). During follow-up, 158 patients reached a primary endpoint. In a multivariable Cox regression model, including NT-proBNP, only increasing IVC diameter, urea, and the trans-tricuspid systolic gradient independently predicted a poor outcome. Neither global longitudinal strain nor LVEF were adverse predictors. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic HF with or without a reduced LVEF, increasing IVC diameter identifies patients with an adverse outcome.

Renal dysfunction in acute and chronic heart failure: prevalence, incidence and prognosis.

Most patients with heart failure have mild or moderate renal dysfunction. This reflects the combined impact of chronic renal parenchymal disease, renal artery disease, renal congestion and hypoperfusion, neuroendocrine and cytokine activation and the effects of treatments for heart failure. Remarkably, with good treatment, the average annual rate of decline in renal function is similar in patients with chronic heart failure and healthy people of a similar age. Urea appears to be a stronger marker of an adverse prognosis than creatinine-based measures of renal function. Recent evidence suggests that minor, transient increases in creatinine in the setting of acute heart failure are not prognostically important but persistent deterioration does indicate a higher mortality. The poor prognosis of patients with worsening renal function ensures that few require renal dialysis but this may change as methods to prevent sudden death improve and new ways are found to control fluid congestion. Reversing renal dysfunction and stopping its progression remain important targets for treatment of heart failure.

Clinical trials update from the European Society of Cardiology Meeting 2011: ARISTOTLE, SMART-AV: QLV substudy, SHIFT: echocardiography and quality of life substudies, European CRT Survey, and Basic Science Update.

This article provides information and a commentary on key trials relevant to the pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of heart failure presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting held in Paris, France in August 2011. Unpublished reports should be considered as preliminary, since analyses may change in the final publication. Results from ARISTOTLE suggest that apixaban is more effective than warfarin for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Electrical dyssynchrony, measured by the time from onset of electrical activity on the surface ECG to activation of myocardium by intrinsic conduction at the pacing site (QLV), was a strong and independent predictor of improvement in ventricular function after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in an observational analysis of a subgroup of patients from the SMART-AV study. Subgroup analyses from SHIFT suggest that heart rate reduction with ivabradine causes favourable left ventricular remodelling and improves quality of life in patients with symptomatic systolic heart failure and an increased heart rate. The European CRT Survey reported outcome data.

Clinical trials update from the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure meeting 2011: TEHAF, WHICH, CARVIVA, and atrial fibrillation in GISSI-HF and EMPHASIS-HF.

This article provides information and a commentary on key trials relevant to the pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of heart failure (HF) presented at the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure meeting held in Gothenburg, Sweden in May 2011. Unpublished reports should be considered as preliminary, since analyses may change in the final publication. In the TEHAF study, use of the Health Buddy(®) monitoring system failed to reduce the number of HF admissions compared with usual care but a subgroup of patients with more recently diagnosed HF may have benefited. In the WHICH study, some reductions in the rate of hospital stay were observed in patients who underwent a nurse-led home-based intervention programme following a hospital admission for an acute HF exacerbation, compared with patients who were followed in a specialized outpatient clinic. Results from CARVIVA-HF suggest that ivabradine alone or in combination with carvedilol is safe and effective for improving exercise capacity and quality of life in HF patients on optimized angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy. In the GISSI-HF study there was no difference in atrial fibrillation (AF) occurrence between the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and placebo groups. In EMPHASIS-HF the incidence of new onset AF or flutter was reduced in patients with mild HF randomized to eplerenone compared with placebo.