Acute and Chronic Heart Failure: Clinical Updates and Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

Heart failure (HF) represents the twenty-first century cardiovascular epidemic, with over 25 million cases worldwide. The increase in HF cases is partly ascribable to the "paradoxical" advancement of treatments for cardiovascular diseases, with a consequent reduction in mortality and higher incidence of cardiac dysfunction among the survivors, partly due to the increase in the general population’s longevity. The prognosis of patients with HF remains poor, with one in nine patients dying one year after diagnosis and about one half within five years; moreover, despite appropriate medical treatment, many patients have frequent hospitalizations and a reduced quality of life. Furthermore, even when symptoms are controlled, subclinical disease progression due to the underlying neurohormonal imbalance has been demonstrated.

In recent decades, several advancements have been made regarding HF treatment. Pharmacological therapy, alongside well-established therapies, has seen the introduction of new molecules. These molecules have now largely entered clinical practice and are recognized in international guidelines, such as valsartan/sacubitril, SGLT2 inhibitors and even more recent drugs such as vericiguat. Furthermore, device-based therapy has seen a significant improvement, with the development of more efficient systems of cardiac pacing and resynchronization therapy as well as the realization of continuously more efficient and less-invasive percutaneous assist devices for improving outcomes and enabling survival, even in patients with the most critical conditions.

Despite these advancements, the prognosis and quality of life of patients with HF remain often poor, and the need for further studies is urgent. Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue is to provide insights regarding the latest advancements in all aspect of heart failure treatment, both in the acute and chronic settings. In particular, original research and valuable reviews concerning the newest progress regarding HF will be welcomed.

Dr. Luigi Cappannoli
Dr. Cristina Aurigemma
Guest Editors

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• acute heart failure
• chronic heart failure
• devices
• drugs therapy
• percutaneous ventricular assist devices
• cardiogenic shock
• arrhythmias
• ischemic heart disease