Dr. Keith Ferdinand from the Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Heart and Vascular Institute, New Orleans, LA moderated the topic "Heart Failure Treatment: A Focus on Treatment in Black Patients" with Drs. Christopher Leggett from the Cardiovascular Institute of Georgia at East Georgia Regional Medical Center, Statesboro, GA, Ileana Piña from the Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, and Frank Smart from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
The discussion focused primarily on:
(1) The basic definition of heart failure (HF), systolic-related HF and the risk factors associated with HF
(2) the prevalence of systolic HF and hypertension in self-identified black patients
(3) therapeutic options for patients with systolic HF
(4) the application of these therapeutic options in self-identified black patients
(5) factors that effect patient adherence in this population and the importance of increasing adherence
(6) increasing patient-physician communications and removing barriers for communication
(7) the underrepresentation of minorities, elderly, and women in some HF trials
(8) the African American Heart Failure Trial (A-HeFT) and its application to pharmacologic management in self-identified black patients
(9) current gaps in access to healthcare.
(Med Roundtable Cardiovasc Ed. 2012;3(3):164–172) ©2012 FoxP2Media, LLC