ACC 2021

Highlights from the 2021 American College of Cardiology (ACC), May 15 – 17.

Effect of a Hospital and Post-discharge Quality Improvement Intervention on Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Care for Patients with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction

Presenter: Adam DeVore, MD, MHS

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) affects over 3 million adults in the United States. Currently outcomes for these patients remain suboptimal with high rates of rehospitalization and death as well as a high burden of symptoms. This is due in part to insufficient use of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for HFrEF, according to Adam DeVore, MD, MHS, who presented on behalf of the CONNECT-HF Investigators and Committees.

The Future Role of Health Technology in Atrial Fibrillation

Presenter: Anne B. Curtis, MD, FACC

In addition to what has been discussed about using health technology in the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF), Anne B. Curtis, MD, FACC, University at Buffalo, says we should also be thinking about its use in monitoring and treatment, including assessing the need for treatment, assessing the success of treatment, and looking at adherence to treatment using drugs and lifestyle.

Severe Aortic Stenosis: Timing of Intervention

Presenter: Catherine M. Otto, MD

Catherine M. Otto, MD, University of Washington, Seattle, said it is well recognized that aortic valve disease is a spectrum of disease that spans from the patient at risk to the patient with valve obstruction, but that the focus of this talk would be the new implications for timing of intervention for those with severe aortic stenosis (AS).

What's Next: Emerging HF Pharmacotherapies

Presenter: Nasrien E. Ibrahim, MD

There are four pillars of guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMT) for HFrEF, but Nasrien E. Ibrahim, MD, of Inova Heart & Vascular Institute said there are more possibilities.

The Future of the RV: From Diagnostics to Therapeutics

Presenter: Jane A. Leopold, MD

Individuals typically reside along a spectrum that encompasses health being at risk or having established disease, and they can move back and forth across this spectrum during their lifetime.

CardioRheum: Mostly Women But Men Can Get It Too, How Autoimmune Diseases Can Heighten Vascular Risk

Presenter: Michael Garshick, MD, MS

Dr. Michael Garshick, NYU Langone Health, spoke on cardio-rheumatology and vascular risk, framed within the context of sex-specific cardiovascular risk factors.

Just Go With the Flo(zin): SGLT2i Should be added to A Few, Some, Most, All HFrEF Patients?

Presenter: Glenn Herrington, PharmD, BCCP, BCPS, CDCES, CPP

Glenn Herrington, clinical pharmacist from Wilmington, NC, reviewed data from the diabetes cardiovascular outcomes trials (CVOTs) (EMPA-REG outcome,1 Canvas Program,2 Declare-TIMI 58,3 and Vertis CV4) for several SGLT2 inhibitors, looked at more recent trials for patients that have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (the DAPA-HF trial5 and the EMPEROR-reduced trial6) with and without type 2 diabetes, and considered safety concerns, to decide in which patients these medications should be used.