What’s unique about omecamtiv? Darrel Francis speaks to GALACTIC-HF PI, John Teerlink about that dirty word in heart failure… “inotrope”. The new language is myotropes,…
CVCT Forum 2020: An Interview with Paul Armstrong about Vericiguat
Darrel Francis speaks to Paul Armstrong, PI of the VICTORIA trial, about the mechanism of new heart failure drug, Vericiguat, and the trial’s unusual power calculation: “The trial was deliberately overpowered on the primary endpoint”.
CVCT Forum 2020 Teaser: Darrel Francis interview with Faiez Zannad on Meta-Analysis Interpretation
Darrel Francis speaks to Faiez Zannad about his meta-analysis of SGLT2 inhibitors for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction published inThe Lancet. This interview takes you through the key components of the meta-analysis: Forest plots, what to make of the heterogeneity of effect, and subgroup analyses.
New drugs for Heart Failure: “My cup runneth over”
The therapy of patients with Heart Failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has evolved over the past several decades. Beta blockers; ACEIs, ARBs or sacubutril/valsartan; along with a MRA; a loop diuretic; and hydralazine/ISDN (in African Americans) form the basis of current guideline recommended therapy. Despite their use, even when appropriately dosed at target levels, there remains a considerable incidence of hospitalizations for Heart Failure (HHF) and cardiovascular mortality (CVM) as well as compromised quality of life and increased health care costs.
Darrel Francis Interview with Milton Packer : the EMPEROR-Reduced Trial, the Patients and the Endpoints
How do triallists decide the two key features of a trial: which patients and what endpoints? And what is the future for SGLT2 inhibitors in…
HFpEF Trials: One Patient’s Perspective
I was diagnosed with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) six years ago. I have a vivid memory of that meeting with the cardiologist,…
What Happens When A Healthy 86-Year-Old Gets Atrial Fibrillation
Editor’s note: 86-year-old Nina Mishkin was still healthy and active when she went to Dublin, Ireland last September. After she returned home she developed atrial…
After Slow Start Entresto Is Poised For Takeoff
–Novartis sees open road to blockbuster status for heart failure drug After a slow start, the novel heart failure drug Entresto (valsartan/sacubitril) is now poised…
Some Doctors Reluctant To Deactivate LVADs
–LVAD deactivation is not euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are used increasingly as destination therapy instead of as a temporary bridge…
Big Mismatch In Risk Perception Between Heart Failure Patients and Their Physicians
There’s a big discrepancy between the way patients with “advanced” heart failure view themselves and the way their doctors view them, a new study published…