For patients with heart failure, changes in pulmonary artery (PA) pressures are an early indication that their condition is worsening, even before they notice symptoms such as shortness of breath or weight gain.

With support from a three-year, $2 million research grant from Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the American Heart Association are teaming up to study heart failure care in the Emergency Department.

Vanderbilt’s Department of Cardiac Surgery has developed an Advanced Heart Failure Clinical and Translational Research Group that serves as a central research resource for advanced heart failure surgeons and cardiologists.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Acorda Therapeutics Inc. released findings from a Phase 1 clinical trial of glial growth factor 2 (GGF2) last week at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session in San Francisco.

The main antioxidant compound in green tea increases contractile force in isolated heart cells, suggesting it may be useful in heart failure.

Under the direction of cardiologist Rebecca Hung, M.D., Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute is offering advanced heart failure services at its Columbia, Tenn., office.

Levels of the protein NGAL may be a good predictor of worsening kidney function in patients with acute heart failure.