Management of acute heart failure-Is there a paradigm shift around the corner?

Abstract

It has become increasingly apparent that the looming epidemic of heart failure calls for systematic treatment approaches tailored to the needs of individual patient phenotypes. Although chronic heart failure (CHF) therapies are continuously evolving based on the increasing understanding of the involved etiology, acute heart failure (AHF) therapies are still based on hemodynamic improvements and symptom alleviation. Guidelines on AHF management have highlighted that the currently administered AHF therapies lack evidence and have raised concerns on the safety and efficacy of some of the hitherto accepted treatment modalities. Additionally, the high mortality and morbidity rates associated with the current AHF therapies also add to the imperative need to re-visit AHF management. The last decade has witnessed a paradigm shift in the way we define and diagnose AHF. Apart from it being recognized as a distinct clinical entity, research has also led to new data on the pathophysiological changes associated with AHF. These developments along with the limited short-and long-term effects of currently used therapies may herald a paradigm shift in the way we plan and deliver management strategies to treat the pathological progression of heart failure.