Heart failure is a serious health condition that affects millions of people around the world, especially older adults. It does not mean the heart has stopped beating.
Instead, it means the heart cannot pump enough blood to supply the body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. This can cause tiredness, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs and feet, and frequent trips to the hospital.
There is more than one type of heart failure. One common type happens when the heart muscle becomes weak and cannot squeeze properly. Doctors call this heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, and several medicines have been proven to help these patients live longer and stay out of hospital.
One of the most widely used medicines for this form of heart failure is a group of drugs called beta-blockers. These medicines slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure, reduce the heart’s workload, and help control abnormal heart rhythms. Because they work well for people with weak heart muscle, they have become a standard treatment for this condition.
However, another common type of heart failure develops for a different reason. In this condition, the heart muscle remains strong but becomes stiff and cannot relax properly between heartbeats. This means the heart cannot fill with enough blood before pumping again. Doctors call this heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF.
HFpEF is especially common in older adults and in people with high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity. Unfortunately, there are still fewer proven treatments for this type of heart failure than for the weak-heart form. Because of this, some patients are given medicines that work well for the other type, even though the diseases are not the same.
A new study led by Dr. Timothy Plante and researchers at the University of Vermont examined whether beta-blockers are helpful for people with HFpEF. The team analyzed information from the large TOPCAT clinical trial, which followed people with this form of heart failure over time. Their findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
The researchers found that about 80 percent of the people in the study were taking beta-blockers. Surprisingly, those taking the medicines had a 74 percent higher risk of being admitted to hospital because of worsening heart failure than those who were not taking them.
The researchers believe this may happen because a stiff heart behaves differently from a weak one. Slowing the heart and changing pressure inside the heart may increase pressure in the heart and lungs for some people with HFpEF. This can lead to more fluid buildup, making symptoms such as breathlessness and swelling worse.
The findings do not mean everyone with HFpEF should stop taking beta-blockers. Many people need these medicines for other health problems, including high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, or a previous heart attack. Patients should never stop taking prescribed medicine without first speaking with their doctor.
This study shows why it is important to understand the exact type of heart failure a person has before choosing treatment. The researchers say more studies are needed to develop medicines designed specifically for people with HFpEF. Better knowledge could lead to safer and more effective care for millions of patients in the future.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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