Initiation and Up-titration of Guideline-directed Medical Therapy for Patients with Heart Failure: Better, Faster, Stronger!

Abstract

Treatment for heart failure has experienced a major revolution in recent years, and current evidence shows that a combination of four medications (angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors + β-blockers + mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists + sodium−glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors) offer the greatest benefit to our patients with significant reductions in cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalisations and all-cause mortality. Unfortunately, despite their proven benefits, the implementation of these therapies is still low. Clinical inertia, and unfounded fear of using these drugs might contribute to this. Recently, evidence from randomised clinical trials has shown that intensive implementation of these therapies in patients with heart failure is safe and effective. In this review, we attempt to tackle some of these misconceptions/fears regarding medical therapy for heart failure and discuss the available evidence showing the best strategies for implementation of these therapies.