Although heart failure is a chronic condition, acute exacerbations are frequent and occur with serious complications; patients with heart failure and their families can help improve prognosis in acute events if they are taught to recognize the tell-tale signs of worsening condition and seek immediate medical help.

Several new biomarkers have been recently described in heart failure syndrome either in stable chronic patients as in the settings of acute decompensation. Biomarkers are used to diagnose disease risk, to predict outcome and to tailor treatment to individuals.

Telemonitoring systems, by which the symptoms of heart failure can be remotely assessed, now provide a strategy for the improved personalized care of patients, according to researchers.

Patients with atrial fibrillation, common in those with advanced chronic heart failure, have an increased risk of hospitalization due to heart failure, according to new research. The findings also suggest that atrial fibrillation is not associated with an increased risk of death in heart failure patients, contradicting previous assumptions.

Researchers have developed the first mathematical model in cardiology and emergency medicine to more quickly and reliably diagnose acute heart failure in emergency room patients. Research findings have been shown to help physicians diagnose AHF with greater accuracy.

The number of patients over age 65 hospitalized for heart failure increased by 131 percent between 1980 and 2006. Women had a much higher annual increase than men. Among the three major forms of cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease and stroke being the other two), only heart failure has shown a significant increase in hospitalization rates.

Cardiac resynchronization can significantly delay the progression of heart failure, according to a major international study. The treatment reduced the risk of serious heart failure events by 41 percent, the study found.

Including fish in a balanced diet has long been associated with the prevention of heart disease, and scientists now believe that it can help preserve heart function in patients who have experienced heart failure. A new study reports that moderate fish consumption can help reduce the risk of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in post acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.

Collaborative medication management between doctors and pharmacists cut the heart failure hospitalization rate by nearly half. The striking difference in hospitalization rates may have been underestimated in this study because patients who received the collaborative medicine review were sicker than those who didn't receive it.

Working out on a stationary bicycle or walking on a treadmill just 25 to 30 minutes most days of the week is enough to modestly lower risk of hospitalization or death for patients with heart failure, say researchers from Duke Clinical Research Institute.