Addressing the Clinical and Economic Impact of Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) imposes one of the highest burdens of any medical condition in the United States.¹ It is a chronic condition affecting approximately 6 million adults in the United States, and it is associated with more than 83,000 deaths annually, according to data from 2015 to 2018.² Furthermore, the prevalence of HF is expected to rise to over 8 million (or 1 in 33) US adults by 2030, mirroring the aging population.^2,3 Despite substantial recent advances in medical therapy for HF, associated morbidity remains high, and quality of life (QOL) of affected patients is poor.⁴ The clinical burden of HF is exacerbated by the occurrence of severe comorbid conditions (present in over 70% of patients) that are independently associated with increased risk of death, functional limitation, and QOL impairment.⁵ The 2022 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Failure Society of America Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure reflects our improved understanding of HF pathogenesis, patient phenotypes, and use of effective therapies.⁶ Despite these advances, adoption of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) remains suboptimal for several reasons (eg, insufficient uptake by health care providers) and/or patient-related issues (eg, medication adverse effects, low adherence to medications, socioeconomic factors).^7-10 This supplement includes 3 articles that examine the challenges and opportunities of treating HF from a managed care perspective and provides an overview of treatment approaches for HF with reduced ejection fraction.^11-13 It ultimately culminates in a discussion of ways to improve access to care for all patients with HF.

Funding Source: Publication of this supplement was supported by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Lilly USA, LLC.

References

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11. Sen S. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: clinical and economic burden and insights into current and emerging treatments. Am J Manag Care. 2023;29:S180-S186. doi:10.37765/ajmc.2023.89415
12. Kumar S, Psotka MA. Heart failure without a reduced ejection fraction. Am J Manag Care. 2023;29:S187-S194. doi:110.37765/ajmc.2023.89417
13. Desai NR, Clark KAA. Defining a path toward improved heart failure care. Am J Manag Care. 2023;29:S195-S200.doi:10.37765/ajmc.2023.89418