Role and Contribution of the General Heart Failure Cardiologist: Further Expansion of the Multidisciplinary Heart Failure Approach

• Authors: Melvin R Echols, Morehouse School of Medicine; Modele Ogunniyi, Emory University
• Journal Title: JOURNAL OF CARDIAC FAILURE
• Volume: Volume 28, Number 4
• Publisher: CHURCHILL LIVINGSTONE INC MEDICAL PUBLISHERS | 2022-04-12, Pages 659-663
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2021.11.021
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems; Cardiovascular System & Cardiology

Abstract

Never before has the field of heart failure seen such accelerated advancements in medical and device therapies. The expansion of knowledge, albeit progressively over the last 5 decades with more rapid recent advances, provides heart failure specialists with a multitude of treatment options supported by a strong foundation of evidence. Nonetheless, the concurrent increasing prevalence of heart failure challenges the cardiology workforce to provide adequate care. Recently, the Journal of Cardiac Failure featured an article by Chuzi and Reza1 highlighting the need to cultivate interest in heart failure careers, rightfully suggesting the need to strengthen the advanced heart failure workforce. However, as it stands, heart failure is still an all-consuming cardiovascular disease, advancing much faster than the advanced heart failure workforce can handle. In addition, many advanced heart failure and transplant training programs remained unfilled to date. Thus, the need for dedicated specialized training to achieve the demanding competencies of heart failure may require further strategic development of training programs to manage preventive, early, and symptomatic heart failure stages.