Current concept in the diagnosis,treatment and rehabilitation of patients with congestive heart failure

Heart failure(HF)is a major public health problem with a prevalence of 1%-2%in developed countries.The underlying pathophysiology of HF is complex and as a clinical syndrome is characterized by various symptoms and signs.HF is classified according to left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and falls into three groups:LVEF≥50%-HF with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF),LVEF<40%-HF with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF),LVEF 40%-49%-HF with mid-range ejection fraction.Diagnosing HF is primarily a clinical approach and it is based on anamnesis,physical examination,echocardiogram,radiological findings of the heart and lungs and laboratory tests,including a specific markers of HF-brain natriuretic peptide or N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide as well as other diagnostic tests in order to elucidate possible etiologies.Updated diagnostic algorithms for HFpEF have been recommended(H2FPEF,HFA-PEFF).New therapeutic options improve clinical outcomes as well as functional status in patients with HFrEF(e.g.,sodium-glucose cotransporter-2-SGLT2 inhibitors)and such progress in treatment of HFrEF patients resulted in new working definition of the term“HF with recovered left ventricular ejection fraction”.In line with rapid development of HF treatment,cardiac rehabilitation becomes an increasingly important part of overall approach to patients with chronic HF for it has been proven that exercise training can relieve symptoms,improve exercise capacity and quality of life as well as reduce disability and hospitalization rates.We gave an overview of latest insights in HF diagnosis and treatment with special emphasize on the important role of cardiac rehabilitation in such patients.

The role of B-type natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis and treatment of decompensated heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a common disease associated with increasing age. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), is a cardiac neurohormone, and is released as prepro BNP and then enzyrnatically cleaved to the Ntenninal-proBNP (NT-proBNP) and BNP upon ventricular myocyte stretch. Blood measurements of BNP have been used to identify patients with I-IF. The BNP assay is currently used as a diagnostic and prognostic aid in HF. In general, a BNP level below 100 pg/mL excludes acutely decompensated HF and levels ＞ 500 pg/ml indicate decompensation. Recombinant human BNP (hBNP, nesiritide) is an approved intravenous treatment for acute,decompensated -HF. Nesiritide given in supraphysiologic doses causes vasodilation, natriuresis, diuresis, and improved symptoms over the course of a 48-hour infusion. This paper will sort out the literature concerning the use of this peptide both as a diagnostic test and as an intravenous therapy.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Emergency Ventilator Treatment for Severe Acute Left Ventricular Heart Failure

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of emergency ventilator therapy in severe acute left heart failure.Methods:A total of 75 patients with severe acute left ventricular heart failure who were admitted to the hospital from July 2020 to July 2023 were randomly divided into two groups.Group A received additional emergency ventilator treatment,and group B received conventional treatment.The efficacy was compared.Results:The curative effect of patients with severe acute left heart failure in group A was higher than that in group B(P<0.05);all blood gas indicators in group A were better than those in group B(P<0.05);all vital signs indicators in group A were better than those in group B(P<0.05);group A was more satisfied with the treatment of severe acute left ventricular heart failure than group B(P<0.05).Conclusion:Patients with severe acute left heart failure who receive emergency ventilator treatment can stabilize vital signs,improve blood oxygen supply,and enhance curative effect.

The Thinking on TCM Differential Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure(CHF),the manifestationat the late stage of cardiovascular diseases,is a commonand critical illness.Traditional Chinese medicine showsa good therapeutic effectiveness in treatment of CHF,especially for latent heart failure,refractory heart failureand digitalis poisoning.The thinking on treatment ofCHF by traditional Chinese medicine on the basis ofclinical practice is described below.

Progress in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF)is a special and common clinical heart failure with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.It has attracted much attention at home and abroad in recent years because of its high heterogeneity and complex pathogenesis.Compared with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF),HFpEF has complex clinical manifestations,many complications,limited clinical treatment,and poor prognosis.In recent years,the research on the pathogenesis and treatment of HFpEF has made certain progress,but there are no specific guidelines for clinical practice.By combing the latest research at home and abroad,the pathogenesis and treatment of HFpEF are systematically reviewed in order to provide a relevant basis for reference its clinical treatment.

Effectiveness and mechanisms of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes and heart failure patients

We comment on an article by GrubićRotkvićet al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Cardiology.We specifically focused on possible factors affecting the therapeutic effectiveness of sodium-dependent glucose transporter inhibitors(SGLT2i)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and their impact on comorbidities.SGLT2i inhibits SGLT2 in the proximal tubules of the kidneys,lowering blood glucose levels by inhibiting glucose reabsorption by the kidneys and causing excess glucose to be excreted in the urine.Previous studies have demonstrated a role of SGLT2i in cardiovascular function in patients with diabetes who take metformin but still have poor glycemic control.In addition,SGLT2i has been shown to be effective in anti-apoptosis,weight loss,and cardiovascular protection.Accordingly,it is feasible to treat patients with T2DM with cardiovascular or renal diseases using SGLT2i.

Treatment of heart failure in nursing home residents

BackgroundFor the treatment of chronic heart failure （HF）, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment should be em-ployed in HF patients. Although HF is highly prevalent in nursing home residents, it is not clear whether the recommendations in the guide-lines for pharmacological therapy also are followed in nursing home residents. The aim of this study is to investigate how HF is treated in nursing home residents and to determine to what extent the current treatment corresponds to the guidelines.MethodsNursing home resi-dents of five large nursing home care organizations in the southern part of the Netherlands with a previous diagnosis of HF based on medical records irrespective of the left ventricle ejection fraction （LVEF） were included in this cross-sectional design study. Data were gathered on the （medical） records, which included clinical characteristics and pharmacological- and non-pharmacological treatment. Echocardiography was used as part of the study to determine the LVEF.ResultsOut of 501 residents, 112 had a diagnosis of HF at inclusion. One-third of them received an ACE-inhibitor and 40% used aβ-blocker. In 66%, there was a prescription of diuretics with a preference of a loop diuretic. Focusing on the residents with a LVEF￡ 40%, only 46% of the 22 residents used an ACE-inhibitor and 64% aβ-blocker. The median daily doses of prescribed medication were lower than those that were recommended by the guidelines. Non-pharmacological interventions were recorded in almost none of the residents with HF.ConclusionsThe recommended medical therapy of HF was often not prescribed; if pre-scribed, the dosage was usually far below what was recommended. In addition, non-pharmacological interventions were mostly not used at all.

Epidemiology and Management of Heart Failure in the Medicine Department of Tombouctou Hospital

Introduction: Heart failure is a complex syndrome and very frequently observed and secondary to the outcome of many advanced heart diseases. It is made up of a set of symptoms that reflect the tissue and visceral consequences of heart failure. The objective was to determine the hospital prevalence and to describe the management of heart failure in the medical department of Tombouctou hospital in Mali. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection, carried out over 24 months and involving the analysis of 266 records of patients hospitalized for heart failure. Results: The frequency of heart failure was 17.6% with a female predominance. The average age was 48 years with extremes of 16 and 90 years. Cardiovascular risk factors were dominated by high blood pressure with 38%. Global heart failure was the mode of discovery in 72.2% of cases. The etiologies were dominated by hypertensive dilated cardiomyopathy in 36.8% and peripartum cardiomyopathy in 32% of cases. The majority of our patients benefited from diuretic treatment, i.e. 95.9% frequency;with a favorable evolution in 96.2% of cases. We recorded 10 deaths, i.e. a lethality of 3.7%. We report some difficulties encountered during our security study because Tombouctou is a war zone and the lack of a technical platform for biology such as (BNP or NT-proBNP). Conclusion: Heart failure is a real public health problem. Its prevalence is increasing due to the aging of the population and especially the poor management of arterial hypertension in our context.

SWOT Analysis of ARNI Anti-Heart Failure Drugs in Chinese Market

Objective To study the domestic market environment and its advantages and disadvantages of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor(ARNI)anti-heart failure drugs so as to provide reference for the promotion of this sort of drugs in Chinese market.Methods Based on SWOT model,the anti-heart failure drugs were analyzed from four aspects:strength,weakness,opportunity and threat.Results and Conclusion ARNI anti-heart failure drugs have greater opportunities than threats in China,and their advantages outweigh the disadvantages.However,in order to gain more market share,it is still necessary to pay attention to the clinical verification of their long-term safety and effectiveness.In addition,consumers are interested in the price of ARNI anti-heart failure drugs and its popularity.

Diagnosis and treatment of heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction

Nearly six million people in United States have heart failure.Fifty percent of these people have normal left ventricular(LV)systolic heart function but abnormal diastolic function due to increased LV myocardial stiffness.Most commonly,these patients are elderly women with hypertension,ischemic heart disease,atrial fibrillation,obesity,diabetes mellitus,renal disease,or obstructive lung disease.The annual mortality rate of these patients is 8%-12%per year.The diagnosis is based on the history,physical examination,laboratory data,echocardiography,and,when necessary,by cardiac catheterization.Patients with obesity,hypertension,atrial fibrillation,and volume overload require weight reduction,an exercise program,aggressive control of blood pressure and heart rate,and diuretics.Miniature devices inserted into patients for pulmonary artery pressure monitoring provide early warning of increased pulmonary pressure and congestion.If significant coronary heart disease is present,coronary revascularization should be considered.

Brain natriuretic peptide and optimal management of heart failure

Aside from the important role of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in diagnosis, and differential diagnosis of heart failure, this biological peptide has proved to be an independent surrogate marker of rehospitalization and death of the fatal disease. Several randomized clinical trials demonstrated that drugs such as beta blocker, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, spiro- nolactone and amiodarone have beneficial effects in decreasing circulating BNP level during the management of chronic heart failure. The optimization of clinical decision-making appeals for a representative surrogate marker for heart failure prognosis. The serial point-of-care assessments of BNP concentration provide a therapeutic goal of clinical multi-therapy and an objective guid- ance for optimal treatment of heart failure. Nevertheless new questions and problems in this area remain to be clarified. On the basis of current research advances, this article gives an overview of BNP peptide and its property and role in the management of heart failure.

Severity of Symptoms of Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome and Congestive Heart Failure Caused by Chronic Aortic Stenosis and Its Pharmacological Correction

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is one of the key accompanied states that worsens severity of congestive heart failure (CHF) and leads refractory CHF to conventional therapy. We investigated whether the cessation of the symptoms and signs of SIRS prevents the progression of the CHF caused by chronic aortic stenosis in rabbits. 8 weeks after induced CHF by left descending coronary artery stenosis, all animals were randomly assigned into 3 groups: control (CG)—without therapy (infusion of 0.9% NaCl);main I— receive mg/kg of Adenocin&reg;dissolved in water for injection i.v., once daily and main II—animals receive 0.25 mg/kg enalapril i.m, furosemide 1.0 mg/kg i.v. (bolus) and pimobendan 0.1 mg/kg i.v. once daily. All animals were euthanized after 14 days of the beginning of treatment. Long-term aortic stenosis leads to a simultaneously developing of CHF, diagnosed by developing cardiac hypertrophy, increased level of BNP and myocardial oedema and SIRS, confirmed by increasing markers and symptoms of endotoxemia, tissue dysoxia and decreasing reserve ability of intrinsic defense systems. Restoration of myocardium redox-potential and level of NAD under treatment with Adenocin&reg;leads unlike combined treatment with enalapril, furosemide and pimobendan to restoration, the regulatory pathways of TNF-α synthesis, cessation of the hypoxic/ischemic, lysosomal dysfunction and free radical-induced damage in myocardium and symptoms of CHF. Potential important link between cellular metabolism (hypoxia/ischemia), endotoxemia and disturbances in intrinsic defense system is the level of redox-potentail, NAD/NADH in myocardium. Influence of oxidized form of NAD-containing positive inotropic drug Adenocin&reg;leads to the decreasing symptoms of CHF and beneficial action occurs on all the key links of SIRS.

Targeting epicardial adipose tissue:A potential therapeutic strategy for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF)is a heterogeneous syndrome with various comorbidities,multiple cardiac and extracardiac pathophysiologic abnormalities,and diverse phenotypic presentations.Since HFpEF is a heterogeneous disease with different phenotypes,individualized treatment is required.HFpEF with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)represents a specific phenotype of HFpEF,with about 45%-50% of HFpEF patients suffering from T2DM.Systemic inflammation associated with dysregulated glucose metabolism is a critical pathological mechanism of HFpEF with T2DM,which is intimately related to the expansion and dysfunction(inflammation and hypermetabolic activity)of epicardial adipose tissue(EAT).EAT is well established as a very active endocrine organ that can regulate the pathophysiological processes of HFpEF with T2DM through the paracrine and endocrine mechanisms.Therefore,suppressing abnormal EAT expansion may be a promising therapeutic strategy for HFpEF with T2DM.Although there is no treatment specifically for EAT,lifestyle management,bariatric surgery,and some pharmaceutical interventions(anti-cytokine drugs,statins,proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors,metformin,glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists,and especially sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors)have been shown to attenuate the inflammatory response or expansion of EAT.Importantly,these treatments may be beneficial in improving the clinical symptoms or prognosis of patients with HFpEF.Accordingly,well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to validate the efficacy of current therapies.In addition,more novel and effective therapies targeting EAT are needed in the future.

TCMATHF:a bioinformatics platform to predict pharmacological action of drug and dynamic molecular changes against from myocardial infarction to heart failure

OBJECTIVE To investigate the characteristics and regulations of medication in different stages of disease by constructing a dynamic disease network and a cellular feature network spanning from myocardial infarction to heart failure.METHODS Based on transcrip⁃tome and single-cell sequencing data from a mouse model of left anterior descending coro⁃nary artery ligation,a dynamic early-middle-late network and cellular feature network were con⁃structed by integrating differential gene expres⁃sion trends and biological functions.The robust⁃ness of the perturbation effect of traditional Chi⁃nese medicine(TCM)on the disease network was calculated based on multi-target TCM,and we acquired the foundational data by analyzing the results of effectiveness.The predictive plat⁃form was scrutinized and assessed with regards to the functional attributes of FDA approveddrugs and compound prescriptions,in order to determine the primary stages of intervention and the drug patterns actions in the progression of heart failure.RESULTS In this study,we devel⁃oped a prediction and analysis platform for assessing the efficacy of drugs using a networkbased approach.The accuracy of the system was validated by FDA approved-drugs.It was found that blood-activating drugs,heat-clearing drugs,and phlegm-expelling drugs exhibited favorable intervention effects during the early to middle stages of the disease by investigating the effects of single herbs and TCM prescriptions on disease progression.Similarly,phlegm-expelling drugs,spirit-nourishing drugs,and diuretic showed better intervention effects during the mid⁃dle to late stages.These findings were consis⁃tent with the clinical use of drugs.Analysis of the clustering heatmap results of TCM prescriptions revealed that the formulas aimed at qi stagnation and blood stasis had a strong effect in early stage,while the formulas for qi and yin deficiency and cardiorenal yang deficiency had a strong effect in the middle to late stages.Furthermore,analysis of the single-cell feature network demon⁃strated that TCM had advantages in modulating the changes in fibroblasts,myofibroblasts,endo⁃thelial cells,and granulocytes during the patho⁃logical process.Additionally,most prescriptions exhibited strong perturbation effects on the fea⁃ture network of NK-T cells,granulocytes,macro⁃phages,and myofibroblasts.CONCLUSION This platform quantitatively evaluates the primary action stages and characteristics of TCM and for⁃mulas involved in the dynamic process of myo⁃cardial infarction to heart failure based on the effective prediction of the efficacy of TCM and FDA approved-drugs.It provides reference for the precise clinical application of TCM and formu⁃las with multiple targets and multiple pathways.

Do Antineoplastic Drugs Play an Additional Role in the Progression of Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy? A Case Report

Non-compaction cardiomyopathy is a rare form of cardiomyopathy;its most common clinical manifestations are heart failure (HF), ventricular arrhythmia, thromboembolism, and sudden cardiac death. We report a rare case of a 63-year-old man with chest tightness, worsening lower leg edema, dyspnea, and decreased exercise tolerance. He had a medical history of gastric cancer treated with subtotal gastrectomy and post-operative chemotherapy with paclitaxel and fluorouracil three years ago. At that time, he was diagnosed with non-compaction cardiomyopathy, and the thickened and reticulated trabecular muscle was exclusively confined to left ventricular apex. Five months ago, he was admitted to our hospital with heart failure and treated for dilated cardiomyopathy, echocardiography revealed severe trabecular noncompact myocardium in both ventricles, which was confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). It is generally accepted that non-compacted myocardium forms in the early embryonic stage, which raises a question in our case whether acquired factors, such as antineoplastic drugs, potentially accelerate the pathological progression of non-compaction cardiomyopathy. Considering there are disparities between current screening tools such as echocardiography and CMR regarding diagnostic criteria, multi-detector CT may be an alternative examination method that could provide a new perspective for diagnosis.

Analysis of 610 cases inpatients with chronic heart failure

Objective： To analyze the clinical characteristics and medical treatment of hospitalized patients with chronic heartfailure, and provide medication for the patients. Methods： According to medical records of inpatients, demographicinformation, etiology, clinical features and treatment information were collected. Results： A total of 610 cases withheart failure from our hospital between July 2010 and June 2016 were analyzed. The average age of all the patientswas 63. Males accounted for 50.49%. There were 82.7% patients with NYHA functional classification at III-IV.31.3% patients with coronary artery disease, 28.4% with rheumatic heart diseases and 21.8% with expansion ofheart disease. 27.4 percent of the patients with the left ventricular ejection fraction lower than 40%. There were78.9% patients received aldosterone antagonist treatment, 63.4% received ACEI/ARB, 62.1% received digoxin,59.8% received beta blockers, and 75.4% patients received decoction, and 80.8% received Chinese patent medicine.Conclusion： The study has shown that high utilization of traditional Chinese medicine is to highlight theadvantages of the combination of traditional Chinese and western medicine in the treatment of heart failure. Theusage of spironolactone, ACEI/ARB, beta blockers in our hospital was lower than the ratio reported, higher thanthat of the national average. However, the use of diureticis is lower than that of national average, which may relateto the use of damp-clearing herbs. Clinicians should pay attention to the high utilization rate of digoxin. Patientswith the left ventricular ejection fraction 〉 50% accounted for 61.1%, which required more attention should be paidto the diagnosis and treatment of patients with heart failure of the ejection fraction remains.

Clinical research progress of ischemic heart failure and prospect of traditional Chinese medicine

As one of the most common types of heart failure, the diagnosis and treatment of Ischemic heart failure are the main focus of clinic. In recent years, the studies on biomarkers have provided supports for clinical diagnosis, prognosis evaluation and stratification. The clinical application of new drugs and the development of non-drug treatment methods have brought more choices conventional treatment. At the same time, under the guidance of Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome differentiation theory, Traditional Chinese Medicine therapy also plays an increasingly important role and shows its broad prospects .

An Empirical Analysis of Director Mingjun Zhao’s Experience in Treating Chronic Heart Failure

With the aggravation of an aging population,the prevalence of chronic heart failure is increasing.As a famous traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in Shaanxi Province,Mingjun Zhao is amicable at using traditional Chinese medicine to treat chronic heart failure.He believes that the pathogenesis of the condition is mainly due to the lack of heart Yang,deficiency of heart Qi,as well as the combination of water and blood stasis.Therefore,in treating this condition,it is essential to warm and nourish heart Yang,replenish Qi to benefit water,and promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis.Based on the standardized treatment used in western medicine,traditional Chinese medicine should be reasonably and accurately combined with it as a drug pair into a prescription,thus highlighting the advantages of the combination of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of chronic heart failure to a great extent.

Chagas heart disease:An overview of diagnosis,manifestations,treatment,and care

Chagas heart disease(CHD)affects approximately 30%of patients chronically infected with the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi.CHD is classified into four stages of increasing severity according to electrocardiographic,echocardiographic,and clinical criteria.CHD presents with a myriad of clinical manifestations,but its main complications are sudden cardiac death,heart failure,and stroke.Importantly,CHD has a higher incidence of sudden cardiac death and stroke than most other cardiopathies,and patients with CHD complicated by heart failure have a higher mortality than patients with heart failure caused by other etiologies.Among patients with CHD,approximately 90%of deaths can be attributed to complications of Chagas disease.Sudden cardiac death is the most common cause of death(55%–60%),followed by heart failure(25%–30%)and stroke(10%–15%).The high morbimortality and the unique characteristics of CHD demand an individualized approach according to the stage of the disease and associated complications the patient presents with.Therefore,the management of CHD is challenging,and in this review,we present the most updated available data to help clinicians and cardiologists in the care of these patients.We describe the clinical manifestations,diagnosis and classification criteria,risk stratification,and approach to the different clinical aspects of CHD using diagnostic tools and pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments.

The pathophysiology of AHF<br>—New insights from recent studies of novel diuretics and vascular modulating therapies</br>

Treatment of chronic congestive heart failure (HF) has improved substantially during the past decades, with the introduction of modulators of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and aldosterone antagonists and the introduction of the lifesaving beta-blockers as well as device therapy. Despite the dramatic improvement in the treatment of chronic HF, no such progress was achieved in the treatment of acute heart failure (AHF). Diuretics that were never rigorously examined in well controlled large prospective randomized studies remain the cornerstone and almost exclusively the only intravenous therapeutic option for AHF and no further effective therapy as introduced in more than 30 years. As a result, the short term morbidity and most importantly mortality of AHF remains extremely high with up to 20% of patients dying in the first months after admission for AHF and an additional 20% being readmitted to the hospital. In the current manuscript we will address the practical concerns regarding established and novel diuretic and vascular modulating therapies in patients with AHF, examine their recommended use and seek to determine a path to developing better and more effective therapies for AHF.