Heart muscle weakness Patients with a heart valve defect live much shorter

Heart valve failure reduces chances of survival in cardiac muscle weakness

Chronic heart failure (cardiac insufficiency) is becoming increasingly challenging in western society due to its frequency, mortality and hospitalization. It is more common than a heart attack and is associated with a much higher risk for those affected. A new study now shows the relationship between heart valve failure and the course of chronic heart failure.

Nearly two million Germans suffer from heart failure

In Germany alone, nearly two million people suffer from heart failure (heart failure). As a result of this disease, the heart is no longer able to provide the body with sufficient blood and oxygen. In recent years, new approaches to the treatment of heart failure have been reported repeatedly. For example, scientists at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) found that some patients could help with more iron because it makes the heart more resilient. Another treatment option is the correction of existing heart failure (mitral regurgitation). According to experts, it is still unclear which patients benefit from such an intervention.

According to recent research, there is evidence that heart valve failure has a strong negative impact on the long-term survival of heart failure patients. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

Correction of existing heart valve weakness

Although the correction of an existing heart valve weakness (mitral regurgitation) represents a treatment concept in the context of heart failure.

However, despite numerous treatment options, it is still unclear which patients benefit from such an intervention.

In a long-term observational study by Georg Goliasch of the Clinical Department of Cardiology of the MedUni Vienna / AKH Vienna, the influence of functional mitral insufficiency (valvular heart failure) on the long-term prognosis of 576 patients with chronic systolic heart failure was investigated.

The study results were published in the "European Heart Journal".

Strong negative impact on long-term survival

It has been shown that the increasing prevalence (incidence) of functional mitral regurgitation is directly related to the severity of heart failure, a communication states.

The results also support the hypothesis that functional mitral regurgitation has a strong negative impact on the long-term survival of heart failure patients independent of other clinical, echocardiographic and neurohumoral factors.

Most important in this context, however, is the finding that mitral insufficiency, especially in those patients, has an impact on survival in which heart failure is not yet well advanced.

Which patients could benefit from the therapy

This indicates that there is a "window of opportunity" for a corresponding intervention, which should be used for an intervention.

This study highlights the increasing importance of functional mitral regurgitation in the development of chronic heart failure and provides for the first time clues as to which patients could potentially benefit from interventional therapy for functional mitral regurgitation.

The fact that one intervention is "too early" and "too late" for an intervention could not have been previously demonstrated in this clarity and goes a step further in the direction of precision medicine. (Ad)