Browsing by Author "Antohi, Laura (57224297267)"

Acute heart failure (AHF) affects millions of people each year and vasodilators have been a central part of treatment for over 25 years. The haemodynamic effects of vasodilators vary considerably among individual agents. Some vasodilators, such as nitrates, primarily act on the venous system by redistributing the circulating blood volume away from the heart towards the venous capacitance system. Other vasodilators, such as nesiritide, lead to balanced vasodilatation in the arteries and veins, decreasing left ventricular afterload and preload. Considering mechanisms of action, intravenous vasodilators are thought to be effective in patients with AHF, particularly in those with acute pulmonary oedema, where increased cardiac filling pressures and elevated systemic blood pressures occur in the absence of, or with minimal systemic fluid accumulation. However, the 2021 European heart failure guidelines have downgraded the use of vasodilators due to two recent studies and several contemporary meta-analyses failing to show benefit in terms of survival. Thus, there remains no firm recommendation suggesting the use of vasodilator treatment over usual care. In addition, despite repeated efforts to develop new vasodilatory agents, no novel therapy has outperformed traditional AHF management. In parallel with the development of novel vasodilators, changing the design of clinical trials for AHF to consider phenotype diversity of AHF patients remains an unmet need. New randomized clinical trials should particularly focus on subgroups that may mechanistically derive benefit from vasodilators, which may entail moving enrolment of patients to clinical settings close to moment of decompensation, such as the emergency department. © 2025 European Society of Cardiology.

Episodes of worsening symptoms and signs characterize the clinical course of patients with chronic heart failure (HF). These events are associated with poorer quality of life, increased risks of hospitalization and death and are a major burden on healthcare resources. They usually require diuretic therapy, either administered intravenously or by escalation of oral doses or with combinations of different diuretic classes. Additional treatments may also have a major role, including initiation of guideline-recommended medical therapy (GRMT). Hospital admission is often necessary but treatment in the emergency service or in outpatient clinics or by primary care physicians has become increasingly used. Prevention of first and recurring episodes of worsening HF is an essential component of HF treatment and this may be achieved through early and rapid administration of GRMT. The aim of the present clinical consensus statement by the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology is to provide an update on the definition, clinical characteristics, management and prevention of worsening HF in clinical practice. © 2023 European Society of Cardiology.