Peripheral Artery Disease Influences Outcomes in Patients with Heart Failure

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) was associated with an increased risk for hospitalization and death in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), according to the results of a recent study.

The study included 3385 patients with HFpEF who were involved in the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist Trial (mean age 69 years, 49% male, 89% white). Researchers identified participants with PAD at the start of the trial by self-reported history and medical-record review, and followed participants for a median of 3.4 years.
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The outcomes included hospitalization, hospitalization for heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction, stroke, death, and cardiovascular death.

Overall, patients with PAD had an increased risk for hospitalization, myocardial infarction, death, and cardiovascular death compared with patients without PAD. However, PAD was not associated with stroke.

In addition, the researchers found that the association between PAD and hospitalization for HF was limited to participants who had a history of HF hospitalization.

“PAD increases the risk for adverse outcomes in HFpEF and is associated with HF rehospitalization,” the researchers concluded. “Practitioners should be aware of the inherent risk associated with PAD in HFpEF.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Sandesara PB, Hammadah M, Samman-Tahhan A, Kelli HM, and O’Neal WT. Peripheral artery disease and risk of adverse outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction [published online April 26, 2017]. Clin Cardiol. doi:10.1002/clc.22716.