Effect of Torsemide vs Furosemide After Discharge on All-Cause Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With Heart FailureThe TRANSFORM-HF Randomized Clinical Trial

Although furosemide is the most commonly used loop diuretic in patients with heart failure, some studies suggest a potential benefit for torsemide.Objective To determine whether torsemide results in decreased mortality compared with furosemide among patients hospitalized for heart failure.Design, Setting, and Participants TRANSFORM-HF was an open-label, pragmatic randomized trial that recruited 2859 participants hospitalized with …

Continue reading Effect of Torsemide vs Furosemide After Discharge on All-Cause Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With Heart FailureThe TRANSFORM-HF Randomized Clinical Trial

Smartphone as an electronic stethoscope: factors influencing heart sound quality 

Smartphones are equipped with a high-quality microphone which may be used as an electronic stethoscope. We aim to investigate the factors influencing quality of heart sound recorded using a smartphone by non-medical users.Methods and resultsAn app named Echoes was developed for recording heart sounds using iPhone. Information on phone version and users’ characteristics including sex, …

Continue reading Smartphone as an electronic stethoscope: factors influencing heart sound quality 

Reduction of dietary sodium to less than 100 mmol in heart failure (SODIUM-HF): an international, open-label, randomised, controlled trial

BackgroundDietary restriction of sodium has been suggested to prevent fluid overload and adverse outcomes for patients with heart failure. We designed the Study of Dietary Intervention under 100 mmol in Heart Failure (SODIUM-HF) to test whether or not a reduction in dietary sodium reduces the incidence of future clinical events. MethodsSODIUM-HF is an international, open-label, …

Continue reading Reduction of dietary sodium to less than 100 mmol in heart failure (SODIUM-HF): an international, open-label, randomised, controlled trial

Acute heart failure and iron deficiency: a prospective, multicentre, observational study

The prevalence and the natural course of iron deficiency (ID) in acute heart failure (AHF) are still unclear. We investigated the prevalence of ID in unselected patients admitted with AHF on admission, at discharge and up to 3 months thereafter. Methods and resultsIn this prospective, multicentre, observational study, 742 patients admitted with AHF were enrolled. …

Continue reading Acute heart failure and iron deficiency: a prospective, multicentre, observational study

Serial Assessment of High-Sensitivity Cardiac #Troponin and the Effect of #Dapagliflozin in Patients with Heart #Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: An Analysis of the DAPA-HF Trial

Circulating high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hsTnT) predominantly reflects myocardial injury, and higher levels are associated with a higher risk of worsening heart failure (HF) and death in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Less is known about the prognostic significance of changes in hsTnT over time, the effects of dapagliflozin on clinical outcomes …

Continue reading Serial Assessment of High-Sensitivity Cardiac #Troponin and the Effect of #Dapagliflozin in Patients with Heart #Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: An Analysis of the DAPA-HF Trial