Hotline sessions of the 26th European Congress of Cardiology

Abstract

Of the 16 presentations at the three Hotline sessions of the 30th European Congress of Cardiology, held in Munich, Germany, 30 August–3 September 2008, nine are summarized below, since the others have already been published (BEAUTIFUL, Lancet 2008; 372; 807–821 ; TRANSCEND, Lancet 2008: 372; 1174–1183 ; GISSI-HF (n-3-PUFA), Lancet 2008 (Epub ahead of print) ; GISSI-HF (rosuvastatin), Lancet 2008 (Epub ahead of print) ; LEADERS, Lancet 2008: 372; 1163–1173 ; IBIS 2, Circulation 2008: 118; 1172–1182 ; SEAS, N Engl J Med 2008 (Epub ahead of print) . The authors of this summary collected the information given during the presentations of the studies, as well as from press releases prepared by most speakers. This report shows only preliminary results. During the first Hotline Session, five studies on the medical treatment of heart failure (HF) were presented. Since three of these trials have already been published, only two of them are summarized below. The first session started with the results of the TIME-HF study (Trial of Intensified BNP-guided vs. Standard symptom-guided Medical therapy in elderly patients with Congestive Heart Failure) presented by Dr Hans Peter Brunner—la Rocca from Basel, Switzerland. Aim of this study was to compare intensified brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)-guided therapy with standard symptom-guided therapy in patients with HF, and to asses if there is a difference in response in the age groups >75 years and younger. Previous smaller studies showed that BNP-guided therapy may improve outcome in chronic HF. Patients with symptomatic HF, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤45%, HF hospitalization within the last year, and an NT-BNP level >2 × upper limit of normal were included. Patients were randomized to standard or intensified BNP-guided therapy. The two groups were stratified by age ≥75 years or 65–74 years with follow-up visits at 12 and 18 months. The …