2023 National Heart Center/Saudi Heart Association Focused Update of the 2019 Saudi Heart Association Guidelines for
Waleed Al Habeeb1, Adel Tash2,3, Abdelfatah Elasfar4,5
1Department of Cardiac Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
This study updates Saudi Heart Association guidelines for heart failure (HF) management. It incorporates new evidence and therapies to improve patient outcomes in Saudi Arabia.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases pose a significant burden in Saudi Arabia, characterized by high mortality and early onset.
- Existing Saudi Heart Association (SHA) 2019 heart failure (HF) guidelines require updating due to emerging evidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review evidence and update the 2019 SHA heart failure guidelines.
- To provide current, locally relevant recommendations for HF management in Saudi Arabia.
Main Methods:
- Expert cardiologists reviewed existing SHA guidelines using established methodology.
- Updated and new recommendations were developed and endorsed by the national heart council.
Main Results:
- The update includes guidance on HF classification, diagnosis, and prevention strategies.
- Recommendations cover pharmacological treatments (e.g., SGLT-2 inhibitors) and management of co-morbidities, including cardio-oncology and pregnancy.
- Updated clinical algorithms for acute and chronic HF management are provided.
Conclusions:
- This focused update offers comprehensive, evidence-based guidance for HF management in Saudi Arabia.
- Implementation is expected to enhance patient care and improve outcomes through updated clinical practice recommendations.
Background:
The burden of cardiovascular diseases is undeniable in local populations, who have high mortality rates and a young age of disease onset. A systematic review of emerging evidence and update of the Saudi Heart Association (SHA) 2019 heart failure (HF) guidelines was therefore undertaken.
Methodology:
A panel of expert cardiologists reviewed recommendations of the 2019 guidelines following the Saudi Heart Association methodology for guideline recommendations. When needed, the panel provided updated and new recommendations endorsed by the national heart council that are appropriate for clinical practice and local resources in Saudi Arabia.
Recommendations And Conclusion:
The focused update describes the appropriate use of clinical assessment as well as invasive and non-invasive modalities for the classification and diagnosis of HF. The prevention of HF was emphasized by expanding on both primary and secondary prevention approaches. Pharmacological treatment of HF was supplemented with recommendations on newer therapies, such as SGLT-2 inhibitors. Recommendations were also provided on the management of patients with cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular co-morbidities, with a focus on cardio-oncology and pregnancy. Updated clinical algorithms were included in support of HF management in both the acute and chronic settings. The implementation of this focused update on HF management in clinical practice is expected to lead to improved patient outcomes by providing evidence-based comprehensive guidance for practitioners in Saudi Arabia.
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