Effect of digitalis level on readmission and mortality rate among heart failure reduced ejection fraction patients.

Introduction: Digitalis has been used for over 200 years to treat patients with heart failure, and evidence supports its use to improve clinical symptoms and quality of life, but not survival. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effects of digitalis on readmission and mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who were receiving current guideline recommended medical therapy.

Methods: We reviewed medical record data from a retrospective cohort study of 1047 patients admitted to the hospital from 2005 to 2014 with decompensated HFrEF.

Heart failure and cognitive dysfunction.

It has been estimated that 5.1million Americans suffer from heart failure. Cognitive impairment has been described as a consequence of heart failure in numerous studies spanning the last three decades.