Prospective care of heart failure in Japan: lessons from CHART studies

There are approximately 23 million patients with heart failure (HF) worldwide. The prognosis of patients with HF is still poor and a prospective approach for preventing and treating HF is necessary. The number of HF patients in Japan has been increasing since 1950 mainly because of a rapidly aging population. Furthermore, westernized dietary pattern, reduced physical activity, and obesity have become prominent, particularly in younger Japanese men. There is an increasing trend of diabetes and dyslipidemia, and the prevalence of smoking and hypertension continues to remain high. One of the largest HF cohorts in Japan, the CHART Studies, showed that coronary artery disease (CAD) was the most frequent etiology of HF currently. Thus, prospective strategies including accurate risk stratification, effective prevention of disease progression through evidence-based treatments, optimally personalized treatment particularly in elderly individuals, and life-long control of CAD risk factors are required to manage HF in Japan.