Feasibility of the Implementation of Tools for Heart Failure Risk Prediction: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Michael C Wang1, Bridget Dolan2, Xiaoning Huang3

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

JACC. Advances
|July 15, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This pilot study shows that risk-based heart failure (HF) prevention is feasible. While B-type natriuretic peptide levels did not significantly change, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I levels decreased in the intervention group.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Preventive Medicine
  • Clinical Trials

Background:

  • The 2022 ACC/AHA guidelines advocate for multivariable risk equations in heart failure (HF) prevention.
  • Prospective assessment of this risk-based strategy for HF prevention was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the feasibility of implementing risk-based strategies for preventing heart failure.
  • To evaluate the impact of a collaborative care model with a pharmacist on HF risk markers.

Main Methods:

  • The Feasibility of the Implementation of Tools for Heart Failure Risk Prediction (FIT-HF) study was a randomized controlled pilot trial.
  • Patients with a predicted 10-year HF risk ≥5% were randomized to usual care or collaborative care with a pharmacist.
  • Biomarkers (BNP, hs-cTn) and echocardiography were assessed at baseline and 1-year follow-up.

Main Results:

  • 82 participants completed the 1-year follow-up.
  • The intervention group showed a statistically significant reduction in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTn) levels (-1.8, P=0.03).
  • No significant difference was observed in the primary outcome, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, between groups (P=0.13).

Conclusions:

  • The FIT-HF study confirms the feasibility of enrolling patients for risk-based HF prevention using predicted risk scores.
  • Larger trials are necessary to establish the efficacy and long-term effects of these preventive interventions.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Heart Failure V: Medical Management01:30

Heart Failure V: Medical Management

Medical Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF)The primary goals of therapy for patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) include:Relieving symptomsOptimizing volume statusSupporting oxygenation and ventilationMaintaining cardiac output (CO) and end-organ perfusionIdentifying and addressing the cause of ADHFPreventing complicationsProviding patient education on factors precipitating HF exacerbationPlanning for dischargeOngoing monitoring and assessment...
27
Heart Failure IV: Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation01:30

Heart Failure IV: Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation

Heart failure can be classified in various ways, with the most common classifications based on physical activity limitations, disease progression, severity, and treatment strategies.The Functional Classification of Heart Failure divides patients into four categories based on physical activity limitation due to symptom burden.Class I: Patients in this class have cardiac disease but no physical activity limitations. Ordinary activities like walking, climbing stairs, or routine tasks do not cause...
35
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System01:26

Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System

The activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to cardiac remodeling, and inhibiting the RAAS is a pharmacological target in heart failure management. As a result, neurohumoral modulation is a crucial treatment principle for managing heart failure. This approach involves using medications like ACE inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and neutral...
513
Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies01:22

Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies

Additional therapies for treating patients with heart failure (HF) may include procedural interventions, supplemental oxygen, the management of sleep disorders, and nutritional therapy.Procedural InterventionsImplantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator: For patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to severe left ventricular dysfunction, an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) can detect and terminate these arrhythmias, preventing sudden cardiac death and improving survival rates.
31
Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions01:30

Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions

The first step in nursing management of a patient with heart failure involves thoroughly assessing the patient's medical history.Subjective Data: Obtain the patient's medical history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and symptoms like dyspnea, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.Objective Data: Conduct a physical examination to identify findings such as jugular vein distention, pulmonary crackles, tachycardia, murmurs, peripheral edema, and vital signs,...
142
Heart Failure I: Introduction01:27

Heart Failure I: Introduction

Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
56