Heart Failure Initiative Significantly Increases Lifesaving Medication Use

Approximately 6.7 million adults in the United States are currently diagnosed with heart failure, a number projected to rise to over 8 million by 2030. A recent analysis published in Circulation: Heart Failure has revealed that hospitals involved in a large-scale initiative by the American Heart Association (AHA) have notably enhanced adherence to established medical treatment guidelines for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), which is the most prevalent form of heart failure.

The AHA initiated this three-year quality improvement program, known as the IMPLEMENT-HF initiative, in 2021, aiming to improve the uptake of quadruple medical therapy and incorporate evaluations of health-related social needs into standard care practices. Quadruple therapy consists of four evidence-based medications that have been shown to decrease mortality: angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI), specific ?-blockers (BB), mineralocorticoid antagonists (MRA), and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). This initiative engaged more than 100 hospitals across the nation and built upon the AHA's existing Get With The Guidelines--Heart Failure program.

The study analyzed data from over 43,000 patients at 67 participating hospitals and found significant improvements: the use of all four recommended medication classes at hospital discharge increased from 4.7% to 44.6%, and from 0% to 44.8% within 30 days post-discharge. These advancements in care were consistent across various racial, ethnic, and gender groups. Furthermore, hospitals significantly enhanced their use of tools to assess patients' social needs, a crucial step towards providing more equitable care.

This initiative marks a significant advancement in addressing the treatment gap in heart failure. By fostering collaborative learning and utilizing real-time data, the IMPLEMENT-HF program has empowered hospitals to better cater to patients from diverse communities. HFrEF affects nearly half of those hospitalized with heart failure and is associated with a 75% mortality rate over five years. Despite clinical studies demonstrating that quadruple therapy can substantially improve survival rates, the application of this treatment has remained low across the country, particularly among marginalized populations.

By establishing an inclusive, knowledge-sharing environment, the AHA's initiative has equipped participants with the necessary tools to identify care deficiencies, exchange best practices, and monitor performance effectively at both hospital and regional levels. The observed improvements through the IMPLEMENT-HF initiative highlight the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in healthcare.

The AHA is dedicated to transforming healthcare systems to ensure that every individual has access to superior heart failure treatment, regardless of their location.