Britain’s hospitals are embracing a pioneering treatment scheme for heart failure that is set to transform treatment Strong-HF. Using this innovative approach, they increased their survival rates by a remarkable 62%! The team is now piloting this ground-breaking approach at St George’s Hospital in London. To date, 14 patients with heart failure have gone through the program. The National Health Service (NHS) wants to increase its use even further by introducing 100 new use cases annually. We know this action will dramatically increase the future for thousands of families touched by this terrible, incurable disease.
With Strong-HF, a new era of heart failure management begins. It gives healthcare professionals the ability to work towards developing new and unique treatment strategies. The trial is the largest of its kind completed and includes 87 hospitals across 14 countries. It paints a hopeful picture. Once patients stabilize on the medication that’s the focus of Strong-HF, their risk of death is reduced by 62%, and their likelihood of being rehospitalized is reduced by 30%.
Those patients who qualify for this miracle treatment have to go through intense scrutiny. This involves regular monitoring of blood pressure and kidney function due to the strength of the agents employed. This rigorous screening process makes sure that the approach is focused on the people who are truly ready and able to endure this highly concentrated treatment.
Matthew Sunter, lead heart failure nurse at St George’s Hospital, said Strong-HF could be transformational. He noted that the new protocol only allows patient surveys to be conducted a week after discharge. This provides healthcare providers with the tools necessary to intervene and assist patients before their health deteriorates and they require a readmission.
“Strong-HF has allowed us to think completely differently. For the first time ever, we offer patients a review one week after discharge and we can catch them before they get sick enough to need to come back into hospital.” – Matthew Sunter
The NHS’s commitment to harnessing innovative treatments such as Strong-HF is a testament to their commitment to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients. Simon Roy, national clinical director for heart disease at NHS England, said the new treatment was a top priority. …he believes it has the potential to dramatically reduce the health burden for thousands who suffer from heart failure.
“This treatment could transform the health outlook for thousands of people affected by heart failure. It is yet another example of how the NHS is delivering on its commitment to ensure patients have access to the latest and most effective treatments to help improve their quality of life.” – Prof Simon Roy
Beyond the changes that will occur on the ground, the initiative hints at a larger, systemic change in heart failure’s place within the healthcare system. Approximately 1 in every 67 people in the UK lives with this life-altering chronic condition. We’re excited about Strong-HF because it promises to take a much more proactive and productive approach to their care.
So Morriston Hospital in Swansea is expecting to be the main site for about 500 patients from Swansea and Neath Port Talbot this year. They’ll be implementing the Strong-HF approach with these treatments. This expansion further highlights the increasing acknowledgement of Strong-HF’s potential benefits.
“Once we establish patients on those drugs, we reduce their chance of dying by 62% and their chances of rehospitalisation for heart failure by 30%. That is huge and means we can prevent avoidable deaths while easing the pressures on our hospital,” – Matthew Sunter
Not every patient will be eligible for Strong-HF due to varying tolerances to high-intensity therapy. Yet, healthcare professionals remain hopeful about the positive impact it stands to make for those able to take part.
The Department of Health and Social Care has congratulated the team at St George’s. Their remarkable achievements for medical innovation inside the NHS have created a tidal wave of possibilities.
“We commend the brilliant team at St George’s for this extraordinary breakthrough which showcases that the NHS is at the forefront of global medical innovation.” – Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson