If Your Heart’s Not into It, Do You Really Need to Take Your Meds?

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

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