Cardiovascular imaging in personalized medicine: focus issue on phenotyping heart failure

More than just a clinical syndrome: Biomarkers and echocardiography should be rapidly advised for anyone with suspected heart failure!

“…5 Although the rural United States represents a different patient demographics, it is not unreasonable to assume that similar strategies could be implemented to reduce the latency of heart failure diagnoses, with either remote specialists or artificial intelligence aiding in the diagnosis and medical management of the disease. 6 Regarding biomarkers, previous literature suggests that concentrations of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) may vary according to the patient profile and clinical scenario (e.g. reduced NT-proBNP clearance with renal disease), therefore values should be interpreted with caution to ensure appropriate diagnosis.…”

“…Additionally, the correct evaluation of cardiac filling pressures may aid in prognostication by stratifying patients at risk for heart failure admissions and/or mortality. 6,10 When taken together with clinical and laboratory findings, echocardiography is a highly important tool for risk stratification, as abnormal values for many echocardiographic parameters have been correlated with reduced event-free survival. 11 As such, it is critical for the cardiology community to advocate for early echocardiographic evaluation in any patient with possible signs and symptoms of heart failure.…”