In 2021, the European Society of Cardiology’s Heart Failure Guidelines Task Force published new guidelines mentioning heart failure exacerbations for the first time and emphasizing the urgency of accelerating the adoption of basic therapies. Such deterioration is usually accompanied by decompensation and heart failure-related hospitalization with i.v. therapy [1].
New terminology has been introduced in the universal definition of heart failure (HF) (e.g., the use of “remission” instead of “recovered”). This definition emphasized that worsening heart failure means worsening signs and symptoms despite ongoing therapy for HF. Therefore, it is important to monitor patients for worsening of the condition (e.g., worsening of HF symptoms despite ongoing therapy) and to rapidly optimize the patient’s treatment regimen after hospitalization and/or worsening of the condition.
Vericiguat as a novel treatment approach
Many traditional therapies work by inhibiting signaling pathways. Vericiguat is a therapeutic agent that acts by stimulating soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). This novel approach to heart failure results in improved myocardial and vascular function [1–3]. The therapeutic agent is well tolerated by patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction after decompensation of heart failure. Vericiguat plus baseline therapy significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization due to heart failure in adults with symptomatic chronic heart failure and with reduced ejection fraction after decompensation compared with placebo plus baseline therapy [3]. Recent therapeutic advances and implementation of new guidelines may allow HF patients to reduce or avoid hospitalizations and maintain their quality of life.
Source: Annual Bayer Pharma Media Day 2022
Literature:
- Bozkurt B, et al: Universal Definition and Classification of Heart Failure. JCF. 2021 Journal of Cardiac Failure, 27(4), pp.387-413. www.onlinejcf.com/article/S1071-9164(21)00050-6/fulltext.
- Armstrong PW, et al: Vericiguat in Patients with Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction. N Engl J Med. 2020; 382(20): 1952-1953.
- Boettcher M et al: Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interaction profile of vericiguat. Poster P1183. Heart Failure Congress of the European Society of Cardiology, May 25-28, 2019.
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