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Introduction: Hospitalization due to heart failure (HF) progression is associated with poor prognosis. This highlights the role of the implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) in improving the morbidity and mortality of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). There are limited data about the intrahospital applicability of GDMT in real-world circumstances. We aimed to assess retrospectively the use of cornerstone GDMT including RASi (ACEI/ARB/ARNI), βB, MRA, and SGLT2i treatment in a consecutive real-world HFrEF patient population admitted with signs and symptoms of HF to the HF Unit of a Hungarian tertiary cardiac center between 2019 and 2021. The independent predictors of therapy optimization and the applicability of new HFrEF medication (ARNI, SGLT2i, vericiguat) were also investigated. Methods: Statistical comparison of admission and discharge medication was accomplished with Fisher’s exact test. The independent predictors of the introduction of triple therapy (RASi + βB + MRA) were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The proportion of patients eligible for vericiguat based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the VICTORIA trial was also investigated, as well as the number of patients suitable for ARNI and SGLT2i, taking into account the contraindications of application contained in the ESC 2021 HF Guidelines. Results: 238 patients were included. During hospitalization, the use of RASi (69% vs. 89%) (ACEI/ARBs [58% vs. 70%], ARNI [10% vs. 19%]), βBs (69% vs. 85%), and MRAs (61% vs. 95%) increased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to at admission, and the use of SGLT2i (3% vs. 11%) also rose (p = 0.0005). The application ratio of triple (RASi + βB + MRA; 43% vs. 77%) and quadruple (RASi + βB + MRA + SGLT2i; 2% vs. 11%) therapy increased as well (p < 0.0001). The independent predictors of discharge application of triple therapy revealed through multivariate logistic regression analysis were age, duration of hospitalization, eGFR, NTproBNP, and presence of diabetes mellitus. Sixty-eight percent of the cohort would have been suitable for vericiguat, 83% for ARNI, and 84% for SGLT2i. Conclusion: High rates of application of disease-modifying drugs are achievable among hospitalized HFrEF patients in severe clinical condition; thus, awareness of the need for their initiation must be raised.

A korábbi randomizált vizsgálatok rendre azt igazolták, hogy a coronariabypass-műtét előnyösebb a percutan coronariaintervencióval szemben a súlyos, kiterjedt koszorúér-betegség kezelésében. Ezt elsősorban az ismételt revascularisatio ritkább igényével magyarázzák, sőt bizonyos alcsoportokban még mortalitási előnyt és kevesebb szívinfarctust is regisztráltak az operáltak között. A közelmúltban publikált multicentrikus, randomizált FAME (Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Angiography in Multivessel Evaluation)-3 tanulmány 1500 beteg bevonásával azt kutatta, hogy a frakcionált „flow reserve” méréssel vezérelt, újgenerációs gyógyszerkibocsátó stent implantációjával végzett percutan coronariaintervenció non-inferior-e a modern koszorúérbypass-műtéttel szemben az egyéves halálozás, a szívinfarctus, a stroke és az ismételt revascularisatiós igény szempontjából. A FAME-3 vizsgálatban aktívan részt vevő szerzők ismertetik a vizsgálatok, a vizsgált populáció és az elvégzett beavatkozások jellemzőit, illetve az eredményeket. A FAME-3 vizsgálatban nem sikerült igazolni a percutan coronariaintervenció non-inferior voltát a bypassműtéttel szemben a háromér-betegség kezelésében. A szerzők részletesen elemzik ennek lehetséges okait, illetve a vizsgálatból származó egyéb fontos következtetéseket. Idetartozik a „kemény végpontok” tekintetében a szignifikáns különbség hiánya a két kar között, illetve az, hogy a perioperatív morbiditás tekintetében a percutan revascularisatio szignifikánsan jobbnak bizonyult. Bár a primer végpont értékelése meghatározó a klinikai döntéshozatalban, a másodlagos szempontok figyelembevétele is elengedhetetlen a részletes betegfelvilágosításnál és az egyéni revascularisatiós stratégia meghatározásában. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(26): 1032–1036.

Abstract: Heart failure is associated with a poor prognosis despite significant advances in the pharmacological and device therapy and incurs very high cost because of frequent hospitalizations. Therefore, professional high-quality care is essential for both patients and the healthcare system. The best way to evaluate the quality of care for a particular disease is the use of disease-specific registries. Until now, there has not been a registry evaluating characteristics and management of heart failure patients in Hungary. For that reason, the Hungarian Society of Cardiology initiated the set-up of the Hungarian Heart Failure Registry. The Aim of this paper is to present the goals, methods and first year results of the Hungarian Heart Failure Registry. The goal of the Registry is to create a modern, web-based database that summarizes the data of large number of patients who are currently or were previously admitted to hospital or who are currently or were previously patients in an outpatient department due to severe heart failure (NYHA III–IV). Currently 17 cardiology departments participate in the development of the Registry. The planned number of patients is 2000. Initially follow-up was planned for one year (pilot study). After the evaluation of the relevant experiences of the pilot study, long-term follow-up is planned. The Registry collects information about the type of heart failure (heart failure with reduced – LVEF≤45% – vs. preserved – LVEF>45% – ejection fraction), etiology, co-morbidities, diagnostic methods, treatment as well as morbidity and mortality. After the first year, assessing the baseline parameters of 698 patients enrolled in the Registry we found that the majority of patients (87.8%) has heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and in 39.8% of the patients heart failure has an ischaemic origin. The most frequent co-morbidity was hypertension followed by diabetes, renal insufficiency and COPD. The patients were treated with ACE inhibitors or ARBs in 94.4%, with beta blockers in 95.9%, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in 73.9%. The mean dose of neurohormonal antagonists was higher than half of the target dose defined by current guidelines. The use of cardiac resynchronisation therapy was 11.7% and implantable cardioverter defibrillator was 25.8%. The pharmacological and device therapy of patients who were enrolled in the Registry until now was fit the current guidelines’ recommendations. This, however, does not mean that the management of heart failure is without problems in our country but that high quality patient care is available with adequate heart failure treatment in cardiology departments dedicated to heart failure care. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(3), 94–100.

Absztrakt A kronikus szivelegtelenseg gyogyszeres kezeleset illetően szamos uj vizsgalat eredmenyet publikaltak az elmult evekben, es 2016-ban megjelent az Europai Kardiologiai Tarsasag (ESC) akut es kronikus szivelegtelenseg diagnozisara es terapiajara vonatkozo legujabb iranyelve, illetve az amerikai kardiologus tarsasagoknak (ACC/AHA/HFSA) a szivelegtelenseg gyogyszeres kezelesere vonatkozo iranyelv megujitasa is. A kozlemeny az uj iranyelvek tukreben kivan attekintest adni a kronikus szivelegtelenseg gyogyszeres kezelesenek aktualis helyzeteről, magaba foglalva az uj klinikai vizsgalatok eredmenyeit. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(38), 1517–1521.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most significant prognostic factor in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, a significant number of individuals may develop CVD that does not present with the classic angina-related or heart failure symptoms. In these cases, CVD may seem to be ‘silent’ or ‘asymptomatic’, but may be more accurately characterised as unrecognised diabetic cardiac impairment. An initial step to raise awareness of unrecognised CVD in individuals with T2D would be to reach a consensus regarding the terminology used to describe this phenomenon. By standardising the terminologies, and agreeing on the implementation of an efficient screening program, it is anticipated that patients will receive an earlier diagnosis and appropriate and timely treatment. Given the availability of anti-diabetic medications that have been shown to concomitantly reduce CV risk and mortality, it is imperative to improve early identification and initiate treatment as soon as possible in order to enable as many patients with T2D as possible to benefit.

Low output syndrome significantly increases morbidity and mortality of cardiac surgery and lengthens the durations of intensive care unit and hospital stays. Its treatment by catecholamines can lead to undesirable systemic and cardiac complications. Levosimendan is a calcium sensitiser and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium channel (IAbsztrakt: Az alacsony perctérfogat szindróma jelentősen emeli a szívműtétek szövődményeit és a halálozást, megnyújtja az intenzív osztályos és kórházi tartózkodási időt. A kezelésére alkalmazott katecholaminterápiának nemkívánatos szisztémás és kardiális mellékhatásai lehetnek. A levoszimendán érzékenyebbé teszi a szívizom kalciumcsatornáit kalciumra, és megnyitja az adenozin-trifoszfát (ATP)-szenzitív káliumcsatornákat (K

The use of direct acting vasodilators (the combination of hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate -Hy+ISDN-) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is supported by evidence, but rarely used.However, treatment with Hy+ISDN is guideline-recommended for HFrEF patients who cannot receive either angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers due to intolerance or contraindication, and in self-identified African-American HFrEF patients who are symptomatic despite optimal neurohumoral therapy.The Hy+ISDN combination has arterial and venous vasodilating properties. It can decrease preload and afterload, decrease left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and the volume of mitral regurgitation, reduce left atrial and left ventricular wall tension, decrease pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary arterial wedge pressure, increase stroke volume, and improve left ventricular ejection fraction, as well as induce left ventricular reverse remodelling. Furthermore, Hy+ISDN combination has antioxidant property, it affects endothelial dysfunction beneficially and improves NO bioavailability. Because of these benefits, this combination can improve the signs and symptoms of heart failure, exercise capacity and quality of life, and, most importantly, reduce morbidity and mortality in well-defined subgroups of HFrEF patients.Accordingly, this therapeutic option can in many cases play an essential role in the treatment of HFrEF.

Heart failure is associated with a poor prognosis despite significant advances in the pharmacological and device therapy and incurs very high cost because of frequent hospitalizations. Therefore, professional high-quality care is essential for both patients and the healthcare system. The best way to evaluate the quality of care for a particular disease is the use of disease-specific registries. Until now, there has not been a registry evaluating characteristics and management of heart failure patients in Hungary. For that reason, the Hungarian Society of Cardiology initiated the set-up of the Hungarian Heart Failure Registry. The Aim of this paper is to present the goals, methods and first year results of the Hungarian Heart Failure Registry. The goal of the Registry is to create a modern, web-based database that summarizes the data of large number of patients who are currently or were previously admitted to hospital or who are currently or were previously patients in an outpatient department due to severe heart failure (NYHA III-IV). Currently 17 cardiology departments participate in the development of the Registry. The planned number of patients is 2000. Initially follow-up was planned for one year (pilot study). After the evaluation of the relevant experiences of the pilot study, long-term follow-up is planned. The Registry collects information about the type of heart failure (heart failure with reduced - LVEF≤45% - vs. preserved - LVEF45% - ejection fraction), etiology, co-morbidities, diagnostic methods, treatment as well as morbidity and mortality. After the first year, assessing the baseline parameters of 698 patients enrolled in the Registry we found that the majority of patients (87.8%) has heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and in 39.8% of the patients heart failure has an ischaemic origin. The most frequent co-morbidity was hypertension followed by diabetes, renal insufficiency and COPD. The patients were treated with ACE inhibitors or ARBs in 94.4%, with beta blockers in 95.9%, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in 73.9%. The mean dose of neurohormonal antagonists was higher than half of the target dose defined by current guidelines. The use of cardiac resynchronisation therapy was 11.7% and implantable cardioverter defibrillator was 25.8%. The pharmacological and device therapy of patients who were enrolled in the Registry until now was fit the current guidelines' recommendations. This, however, does not mean that the management of heart failure is without problems in our country but that high quality patient care is available with adequate heart failure treatment in cardiology departments dedicated to heart failure care. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(3), 94-100.

Recently, results of several novel clinical trials on the pharmacological treatment of chronic heart failure have been published. In addition, the new European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure and a focused update by the ACC/AHA/HFSA on new pharmacological therapy for heart failure has been reported in 2016. This paper intends to provide an overview of the current state of the pharmacological treatment of chronic heart failure in the light of the new guidelines which incorporate the results of the new clinical trials. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(38), 1517-1521.

Cardiac natriuretic peptides (BNP, NT-proBNP) play a pivotal role in cardiovascular homeostasis, mainly due to their roles in vasodilatation, natriuresis, diuresis and due to their antiproliferative properties. Proper measurement of the natriuretic peptide levels may help differentiate between respiratory and cardiac forms of dyspnea, diagnose early forms of heart failure, evaluate severity of heart failure (prognosis) and monitor the efficacy of therapy. In many countries natriuretic peptide levels are being used as one of the earliest diagnostics tools to evaluate the involvement of the heart. Current theoretical and clinical data confirm the importance of natriuretic peptides in routine healthcare. These roles are clearly described in international recommendations and guidelines. In the current review the authors discuss the problems of the measurement of natriuretic peptides in Hungary, including several aspects related to laboratory medicine, cardiology and health economy.

Cardiac natriuretic peptides (BNP, NT-proBNP) play a pivotal role in cardiovascular homeostasis, mainly due to their roles in vasodilatation, natriuresis, diuresis and due to their antiproliferative properties. Proper measurement of the natriuretic peptide levels may help differentiate between respiratory and cardiac forms of dyspnea, diagnose early forms of heart failure, evaluate severity of heart failure (prognosis) and monitor the efficacy of therapy. In many countries natriuretic peptide levels are being used as one of the earliest diagnostics tools to evaluate the involvement of the heart. Current theoretical and clinical data confirm the importance of natriuretic peptides in routine healthcare. These roles are clearly described in international recommendations and guidelines. In the current review the authors discuss the problems of the measurement of natriuretic peptides in Hungary, including several aspects related to laboratory medicine, cardiology and health economy. Orv. Hetil., 2015, 156(31), 1235–1245.