Episodes
Friday Jan 19, 2024
Friday Jan 19, 2024
Over 75% of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients have a comorbid diagnosis of obesity. Obesity is an independent risk factor for the development of HFpEF and contributes to disease progression. Obese patients with HFpEF have greater symptom burden, reduced functional capacity, and impaired quality of life when compared to those without obesity. We know that patients often struggle to adhere to lifestyle modifications long enough to see meaningful weight loss, but the benefits of GLP-1 agonists for patients with HFpEF who are obese are not yet clear.
Guest Authors: Alicia M. Nordberg-Payne, PharmD; Rebecca Munger, PharmD, BCACP; Jason Zupec, PharmD, BCACP
Music by Good Talk
Thursday Oct 13, 2022
Top Ten Things Every Clinician Should Know About the 2022 Heart Failure Guidelines
Thursday Oct 13, 2022
Thursday Oct 13, 2022
The 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Heart Failure Guidelines is a much-needed update and consolidates previously published recommendations. In the written commentary we describe the top ten things every clinician should know about the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Heart Failure Guidelines. This podcast episode highlights some of the key recommendations from the guidelines and addresses some of the practical implications.
Guest Authors: Madison Yates, PharmD and Megan Supple, PharmD, BCACP, CPP
Music by Good Talk
Wednesday Jun 08, 2022
The Top Ten Things Every Clinician Should Know About Sacubitril/Valsartan
Wednesday Jun 08, 2022
Wednesday Jun 08, 2022
Sacubitril/valsartan is considered part of the backbone of guideline-recommended therapies for the management of patients with heart failure. In 2021, sacubitril/valsartan became the preferred treatment over an ACEi or ARB in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) because it reduces the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in nearly all adult patients with chronic heart failure. All clinicians should be familiar with the indications, dosing, safety, and monitoring of sacubitril/valsartan. Affordability, access, and inappropriate dose titration remain major barriers to achieving optimal outcomes.
Guest Authors: Jessica Wooster, PharmD, BCACP and Elizabeth Yett, PharmD, BCACP
Special Guest: Dustin (DJ) Clark, PharmD, BCACP
Music by: Good Talk
Friday Jan 14, 2022
Friday Jan 14, 2022
Although guideline-directed medical therapy substantially improves morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), treatments that clearly improve outcomes in those with HF and an EF >40% remain elusive. Unfortunately, the incidence and prevalence of HF are expected to substantially increase in the coming decades. More evidence and effective treatments for those with HF with preserved ejection fraction are clearly needed. Enter the EMPEROR-Preserved trial.
Guest Authors: Gabrielle Givens, PharmD, BCPS and Robert Parker, PharmD
Music by Good Talk
Friday Aug 13, 2021
SGLT2i plus MRAs for Heart Failure: A Sweet or Sour Combination?
Friday Aug 13, 2021
Friday Aug 13, 2021
We now have “diabetes medications” to treat heart failure with reduced ejection practice (HFrEF). Many clinicians have not yet used a sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) for the treatment of HF and are (rightfully) concerned about potential drug-drug interactions, particularly when using an SGTL2i with a mineralocorticoid (MRA). A recent secondary analysis using data from the EMPEROR-Reduced study may provide some reassurance.
Guest Authors: B. Blake Miller, PharmD, BCPS and Jennifer Clements, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, CDCES, BC-ADM
Music by Good Talk
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
Raised From The Grave: A Second Life for Sotagliflozin?
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
The prevalence of heart failure in patients with diabetes is four times higher than in the general population. Likewise, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes are common morbidities. As new drug classes emerge in the management of diabetes and heart failure and CKD, it is important to thoroughly evaluate available literature and identify opportunities to reduce complications and costs. Sotagliflozin is a first-in-class dual SGLT-1 and 2 inhibitor approved in Europe. Does it improve outcomes in patients with heart failure or CKD?
Guest Authors: Maren Richards Brinton, PharmD and Jonathan C. Hughes, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP
Music by Good Talk
Friday Dec 13, 2019
Is Dapagliflozin aDAPtAble to Treating HFrEF in Patients Without Diabetes?
Friday Dec 13, 2019
Friday Dec 13, 2019
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines recommend a renin-angiotensin inhibitor, beta-blocker, and aldosterone antagonist to reduce morbidity and mortality in these patients. Despite the use of multiple drug classes, 5-year mortality rates hover near 50% in patients with heart failure (HF). Despite the numerous medications available, mortality and the risk of HF hospitalizations remains high. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2-I) have been shown to reduce HF hospitalizations in patients with diabetes. Could this medication class be useful for HF treatment even in patients without diabetes?
Guest Authors: John Andraos, PharmD; Alexa Zeiger, PharmD; and Michael S. Kelly, PharmD, BCACP
Music by Good Talk
Monday Jun 10, 2019
If Your Heart’s Not into It, Do You Really Need to Take Your Meds?
Monday Jun 10, 2019
Monday Jun 10, 2019
Dilated cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death and heart failure (HF) and the chief indication for cardiac transplantation. However, approximately 40% of patients see a significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction and reduction in the left ventricle size over time with pharmacologic treatment. As deprescribing becomes an increasingly important part of our clinical practice, we need more data about how deprescribing impacts outcomes, particularly in chronic diseases such as heart failure. The recently published TRED-HF is attempted to address this important question: Is the burden of lifelong therapy with medications necessary or worth it in patients with "recovered" dilated cardiomyopathy?
Guest Author: Jennifer Pruskowski, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, CPE
Music by Good Talk
Thursday Feb 09, 2017
Helpful, Harmful, or Futile — Antidepressant Use in Patients with Heart Failure
Thursday Feb 09, 2017
Thursday Feb 09, 2017
About 5 million Americans are currently living with heart failure (HF) and an astounding 24-42% also suffer from depression. One meta-analysis found a greater than 2-fold risk of death in patients with HF and comorbid depression. Depressed patients with HF are more likely to be hospitalized, seek care from emergency rooms, and rack up big bills. Not surprisingly, patients with HF and depression have a much lower quality of life when compared to HF patients without depression. Clearly, this is BIG problem. But can we do anything about it?
Theme Music by Good Talk
Friday May 20, 2016
Does Coenzyme Q10 Have the ENERGY to Change Heart Failure Therapy?
Friday May 20, 2016
Friday May 20, 2016
Could a nutritional supplement be the “magic bullet” in heart failure therapy? Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), or ubiquinone, is an electron carrier in mitochondria and plays a key role in ATP synthesis. It is also thought to have antioxidant effects and may stabilize LDL molecules. All of which would, theoretically, help the failing heart.