The Role of Antithrombotic Therapy in Heart Failure

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (23) ◽  
pp. 2735-2761
Author(s):  
Christina Chrysohoou ◽  
Nikolaos Magkas ◽  
Christos-Konstantinos Antoniou ◽  
Panagiota Manolakou ◽  
Aggeliki Laina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Antithrombotic Therapy ◽  
Left Ventricular Ejection ◽  
Heart Failure Patients ◽  
Patients With Heart Failure ◽  
Artery Disease

: Heart failure is a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality burden affecting approximately 1-2% of adults in developed countries, mounting to over 10% in individuals aged >70 years old. Heart failure is characterized by a prothrombotic state and increased rates of stroke and thromboembolism have been reported in heart failure patients compared with the general population. However, the impact of antithrombotic therapy on heart failure remains controversial. Administration of antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy is the obvious (and well-established) choice in heart failure patients with cardiovascular comorbidity that necessitates their use, such as coronary artery disease or atrial fibrillation. In contrast, antithrombotic therapy has not demonstrated any clear benefit when administered for heart failure per se, i.e. with heart failure being the sole indication. Randomized studies have reported decreased stroke rates with warfarin use in patients with heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, but at the expense of excessive bleeding. Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants have shown a better safety profile in heart failure patients with atrial fibrillation compared with warfarin, however, current evidence about their role in heart failure with sinus rhythm is inconclusive and further research is needed. In the present review, we discuss the role of antithrombotic therapy in heart failure (beyond coronary artery disease), aiming to summarize evidence regarding the thrombotic risk and the role of antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents in patients with heart failure.

scholarly journals Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Patients in the Polish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) Registry

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1091
Author(s):  
Marek Kiliszek ◽  
Beata Uziębło-Życzkowska ◽  
Iwona Gorczyca ◽  
Małgorzata Maciorowska ◽  
Olga Jelonek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Ejection Fraction ◽  
Thromboembolic Event ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Left Ventricular Ejection ◽  
Asymptomatic Patients ◽  
Artery Disease

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) can cause severe symptoms, but it is frequently asymptomatic. We aimed to compare the clinical features of patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic AF. Methods: A prospective, observational, multicenter study was performed (the Polish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) registry). Consecutive hospitalized AF patients over 18 years of age were enrolled at ten centers. The data were collected for two weeks during each month of 2019. Results: A total of 2785 patients were analyzed, of whom 1360 were asymptomatic (48.8%). Asymptomatic patients were more frequently observed to have coronary artery disease (57.5% vs. 49.1%, p < 0.0001), heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (39.8% vs. 26.5%, p < 0.0001), a previous thromboembolic event (18.2% vs. 13.1%, p = 0.0002), and paroxysmal AF (52.3% vs. 45.2%, p = 0.0002). In multivariate analysis, history of electrical cardioversion, paroxysmal AF, heart failure, coronary artery disease, previous thromboembolic event, and higher left ventricular ejection fraction were predictors of a lack of AF symptoms. First-diagnosed AF was a predictor of AF symptoms. Conclusions: In comparison to symptomatic patients, more of those hospitalized with asymptomatic AF had been previously diagnosed with this arrhythmia and other cardiovascular diseases. However, they presented with better left ventricular function and were more frequently treated with cardiovascular medicines.

scholarly journals Secondary prevention and outcomes in outpatients with coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation or heart failure: a focus on disease overlap

Open Heart ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e001165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Lamblin ◽  
Sandro Ninni ◽  
Olivier Tricot ◽  
Thibaud Meurice ◽  
Gilles Lemesle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Secondary Prevention ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Left Ventricular Ejection ◽  
Chronic Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽  
Artery Disease

ObjectiveTo assess secondary prevention and outcomes in patients with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF), focusing on disease overlap.MethodsWe analysed the data of 10 517 outpatients with a diagnosis of CAD, AF and/or HF included in a prospective cohort study. Follow-up (median 3.2 years) was achieved in 10 478 (99.6%) patients. Seven mutually exclusive patient groups were formed: CAD alone (n=4303), AF alone (n=2604), CAD+AF (n=700), HF alone (n=513), HF+CAD (n=728), HF+AF (n=1087) and HF+CAD+AF (n=582).ResultsPatients with disease overlaps represented 29.4% of the total population. The level of secondary prevention was high in all subgroups and in accordance with European class I – level A guidelines. Among patients with CAD, 99% received an antithrombotic and 91% received a statin. Among patients with AF, 81.7% were treated with an anticoagulant if indicated. Among HF patients with left ventricular ejection fraction <40%, 90.9% received a renin-angiotensin system antagonist and 91% a beta-blocker. Three-year all cause/cardiovascular mortality rates were: 6.4%/2%, 9.7%/3.3%, 15.6%/6.7%, 19.2%/9.4%, 24.3%/13.6%, 28%/15.7% and 35.4%/24.8%, for patients with CAD alone, AF alone, CAD+AF, HF alone, HF+CAD, HF+AF and HF+CAD+AF, respectively. In all groups with HF, observed all-cause mortality was higher (p<0.0001) than expected mortality for age-matched, gender-matched and geography-matched persons. In contrast, observed mortality was lower than expected for patients with CAD alone and AF alone (p<0.0001).ConclusionsIn a context of adequate secondary prevention, overlap between diseases is a frequent and high-risk situation with incremental increases in mortality. These patients deserve specific attention.

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