Use of Electronic Messages in the Follow-Up of Patients With Heart Failure: Randomized Pilot Study.

Heart Failure (HF) has been ide.epsied as an important public health problem, with high morbidity and mortality, despite advances in current therapy. New strategies are demanded to reduce the number of hospitalizations and deaths. Telemedicine approaches could improve the management of patients with cardiovascular conditions. Sixty patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) were randomized to this pilot study. Weekly electronic messages were sent for 1 year. The use of telemedicine was effective instrument for the evolutionary follow-up of patients with HFrEF during the COVID-19 pandemic, but did not demonstrate an impact on the reduction of cardiovascular outcomes or hospitalization for HF. REBEC - Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials ide.epsier RBR-5q6x56k. Monitoring heart disease patients via WhatsApp during the COVID-19 pandemic. Available from http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-5q6x56k/.

Stroke Is Associated with Refractory Hypertension among Resistant and Refractory Patients in a Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background Refractory hypertension (RfH) is a severe phenotype of resistant hypertension (RH) linked to higher risk of stroke and other adverse cardiovascular events, but knowledge about it is still lacking. Objectives To evaluate the association between RfH and stroke. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in a referral clinic for patients with severe hypertension in the period from 2018 to 2020. RH was defined as uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) despite the use of 3 antihypertensive agents, including a diuretic, or the use of ≥ 4 agents regardless of BP control. RfH was defined as lack of BP control despite use of ≥ 5 antihypertensive agents. Individuals were classified as RfH or RH, and multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to examine the association between RfH and stroke. Results We evaluated a total of 137 patients; 81% were female, and 93,3% were Black or multiracial. The mean age was 64.4 years. Stroke was more prevalent in the RfH group (35.7%), in comparison to the RH group (12.8%) (p value = 0.01). Unadjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for factors associated with stroke were RfH (OR 3.77; 95% CI 1.45 to 9.80), systolic BP (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.002 to 1.04) and diastolic BP (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.001 to 1.06). Adjusted OR for factors associated with stroke were RfH (OR 3.55; 95% CI 1.02 to 12.42), systolic BP (OR 1.02; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.05) and diastolic BP (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.06). Conclusion RfH was associated with higher prevalence of stroke. Efforts are required to better understand this association to prevent adverse cardiovascular outcomes in these patients.