Highlights include the Integration of Palliative Care into Heart Failure Care: A Consensus-Based Recommendations from the Heart Failure Society of America; original research on survival in a real-world cohort of patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy treated with Tafamidis; and how housing insecurity might affect patients with heart failure.
WASHINGTON, DC (MARCH 11, 2025) – The incorporation of both primary and specialty palliative care (PC) in the management of patients with heart failure (HF) is recommended by both the 2022 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Failure Society of America HF guidelines and the 2021 European Society of Cardiology HF guidelines. Yet consistent implementation has been challenging.
The Journal of Cardiac Failure (JCF) March 2025 issue, now online, includes a contemporary, practical guide for clinicians and institutions about how PC can be best operationalized in the context of comprehensive HF care.
“HFSA consensus documents are a foundational JCF offering to help improve patient-centered care for those living with HF. This month, we’re thrilled to publish practice-changing recommendations on how to optimize the integration of palliative care (or Supportive Cardiology) into routine HF management,” said JCF co-editors-in-chief, Anuradha Lala, MD, and Robert J. Mentz, MD.
Key Highlights include:
Integration of Palliative Care into Heart Failure Care: Consensus-Based Recommendations from the Heart Failure Society of America
Survival in a Real-World Cohort of Patients with Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy Treated with Tafamidis: An Analysis from the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcomes Survey (THAOS)
Examining Heart Failure Outcomes Amid Housing Insecurity
Key components of high-quality, integrated HF-PC are described, with a focus on clinical and operational considerations for providing primary and specialty PC, quality measurement and value demonstration, reimbursement and incentive concerns, and the provision of hospice care.
Survival in a Real-World Cohort of Patients with Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy Treated with Tafamidis: An Analysis from the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcomes Survey (THAOS)
A retrospective analysis of survival in a real-world cohort of patients with ATTR-CM from the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcomes Survey (THAOS) registry, identifies new evidence on the efficacy and safety of tafamidis in real-world settings, reinforcing the recommendation for its early initiation in patients with ATTR-CM.
Examining Heart Failure Outcomes Amid Housing Insecurity
Data from the 2020 National Inpatient Sample and Nationwide Readmissions Database reveals how housing insecurity in patients who are hospitalized for HF may increase the risk for worse outcomes and rehospitalizations and how clinicians can address these issues.
The full line-up is as follows:
Original Research Papers
- Long-term Changes in Body Composition and Exercise Capacity Following Calorie Restriction and Exercise Training in Older Patients with Obesity and Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
- Examining Heart Failure Outcomes Amid Housing Insecurity
- Survival in a Real-World Cohort of Patients with Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy Treated with Tafamidis: An Analysis from the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcomes Survey (THAOS)
- Left Ventricular Unloading Using Intra-Aortic Entrainment Pumping Before Reperfusion Reduces Post-AMI Infarct Size
- Comparing Analytical Methods for Composite End Points in Clinical Trials: Insights from the Vericiguat Global Study in Subjects with Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction Trial
HFSA Consensus Statement
Perspectives
- Can’t Rain on Our Parade: Highlights from the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Annual Scientific Meeting 2024
- Patient-Centered Research Design to Increase Representativeness of Diverse Populations in Clinical Trials
Brief Reports
- Denial for Advanced Therapies Due to Psychosocial Stressors: Who Comes Back?
- Validating the Association Between Composite Metrics of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) and Clinical Outcomes for Patients with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF)
- Association of Double-Blind Reviews with Increases in Women as First Authors: An Initial Report from the Journal of Cardiac Failure
Research Letter
JCF Ignite!
View the full issue online. For interviews with authors, please contact Alyssa Altonen at aaltonen@hfsa.org.
About the Journal of Cardiac Failure
The Journal of Cardiac Failure (JCF) publishes the highest quality science in the field of heart failure with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, mentorship, multidisciplinary partnerships, and patient-centeredness. Published papers span original investigator-initiated work to state-of-the-art reviews, guidelines and scientific statements, expert perspectives, early career and trainee spotlight pieces, patient and patient-partner narratives. JCF also emphasizes the power of language and prioritizes innovative approaches to dissemination of published work to reach and impact the broader heart failure community.
About the Heart Failure Society of America
The Heart Failure Society of America, Inc. (HFSA) represents the first organized effort by heart failure experts from the Americas to provide a forum for all those interested in heart function, heart failure, and congestive heart failure (CHF) research and patient care. The mission of HFSA is to provide a platform to improve and expand heart failure care through collaboration, education, innovation, research, and advocacy. HFSA members include physicians, scientists, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, trainees, other healthcare workers and patients. For more information, visit hfsa.org.
Media Contact: Alyssa Altonen, aaltonen@hfsa.org