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Cardiac Cachexia: A Well-Known but Challenging Complication of Heart Failure
Helena Krysztofiak1, Marta Wleklik2, Jacek Migaj1,3
11st Department of Cardiology, University of Medical Sciences in Poznan, Poznan, Poland.
Insights
Heart failure (HF) patients often develop unrecognized muscle wasting disorders like cachexia, significantly worsening their prognosis and quality of life. Further research is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies for cardiac cachexia.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Geriatrics
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) incidence is rising due to population aging and improved coronary artery disease treatment.
- Aging HF patients frequently develop comorbidities, complicating management.
- Muscle wasting disorders, sarcopenia and cachexia, are prevalent but often overlooked in HF patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance of cachexia in heart failure.
- To emphasize the need for understanding the mechanisms of cardiac cachexia.
- To underscore the lack of specific guidelines for managing cachexia in HF.
Main Methods:
- This study is a review of current literature on heart failure and cachexia.
- It synthesizes information on the prevalence and impact of cachexia in HF.
- It identifies gaps in current understanding and treatment approaches.
Main Results:
- Cachexia significantly worsens prognosis and quality of life in heart failure patients.
- The coexistence of HF and metabolic disorders promotes cachexia development.
- Current understanding of cachexia mechanisms in HF is limited.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac cachexia is a serious, under-recognized complication of heart failure.
- Further research into the mechanisms of cachexia is essential for therapeutic development.
- There is an urgent need for evidence-based guidelines and treatments for cardiac cachexia.
Abstract:
Heart failure (HF) is a common complication of various cardiac diseases, and its incidence constantly increases. This is caused mainly by aging of populations and improvement in the treatment of coronary artery disease. As HF patients age, they tend to develop comorbidities, creating new problems for health-care professionals. Sarcopenia, defined as the loss of muscle mass and function, and cachexia, defined as weight loss due to an underlying illness, are muscle wasting disorders of particular relevance in the heart failure population, but they go mostly unrecognized. The coexistence of chronic HF and metabolic disorders facilitates the development of cachexia. Cachexia, in turn, significantly worsens a patient's prognosis and quality of life. The mechanisms underlying cachexia have not been explained yet and require further research. Understanding its background is crucial in the development of treatment strategies to prevent and treat tissue wasting. There are currently no specific European guidelines or recommended therapy for cachexia treatment in HF ("cardiac cachexia").
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