Lotensin

This study is an investigator-initiated, cluster-randomized implementation trial evaluating a large language model (LLM)-based clinical decision support (CDS) tool designed to improve guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for adult patients with heart failure seen in outpatient cardiology clinics at Mass General Brigham. For eligible heart failure encounters, the CDS tool reviews existing electronic health record (EHR) data, including diagnoses, medications, vital signs, laboratory results, and recent notes, and generates brief, clinician-facing messages suggesting opportunities to initiate or optimize GDMT and highlighting relevant safety considerations. Messages are delivered to cardiology providers via Epic InBasket and/or institutional email prior to scheduled visits. The tool is advisory only and cannot place orders or change medications automatically; all treatment decisions remain at the discretion of the treating clinician and patient. Cardiology providers are assigned at the provider/clinic level to early implementation of the CDS tool versus usual care (no messages) during the initial phase. The primary outcome is GDMT optimization within 30 days of an index visit. Secondary outcomes include feasibility of CDS generation and delivery and a 30-day safety composite (e.g., heart failure hospitalization, acute kidney injury, hyperkalemia, hypotension or bradyarrhythmia plausibly related to GDMT).

The goal of this clinical trial is to treat both hypertension and obesity in adults using a food is medicine framework. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to FIM+DASH or usual-care control. The 24-week trial includes a 12-week FIM+DASH intervention followed by a 12-week maintenance period and leverages existing partnerships with community-based organizations for home food delivery and culinary skill-skill building. The main questions it aims to answer are: (1) What is the effect of FIM+DASH vs. usual care control on blood pressure? (2) What is the effect of FIM+DASH vs. usual care control on DASH diet adherence (diet quality), body weight, and waist circumference? (3) How to identify factors associated with the sustainability and scalability of FIM+DASH in real-world settings?

Heart failure is a high-risk, chronic condition that impacts patients' mental health. Approximately 50% of heart failure patients experience comorbid mental health conditions, such as stress, depression and anxiety, which affect their day-to-day lives. Despite this interconnection, the integration of mental health awareness and support into cardiac care remains limited. To address this gap, the FRAME (Foundation, Recognition, Awareness, Management, Engagement) intervention was co-designed by researchers, healthcare providers, health system decisionmakers, and patient partners. This pilot study evaluates the feasibility of implementing the FRAME intervention in pilot clinical sites within two health regions in Ontario, Canada, including team-based family medicine clinics, cardiac rehabilitation/specialist clinics, and emergency departments. Utilizing a pretest-posttest hybrid 1 model intervention design, this study evaluates process indicators and patient-focused outcomes through surveys and semi-structured qualitative interviews. Findings from this study will inform a future large scale cohort study and scalable integration of the FRAME tool into existing cardiac care pathways to enhance mental health awareness and support among heart failure patients.

The goal of this study is to learn whether stopping beta-blockers can help older adults with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) feel better and function better. This study will test whether "deprescribing" or stopping these medications in a careful, guided way can improve symptoms and quality of life. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Deprescribing group: Beta-blockers are gradually reduced using capsules that contain decreasing doses. Usual care group: Beta-blockers are continued at the usual dose in look-alike capsules. All participants will: * Take study medicine for about 4 months * Have their blood pressure and heart rate monitored * Complete regular phone calls and questionnaires about how they are feeling This study does not involve any experimental medication. Participants active involvement in the study will last approximately 4 months. During these 4 months they will have 8 scheduled telephone visits.

The overall objective of this study is to determine whether the addition of SGLT2 inhibitors to usual care in hospitalized patients with heart failure associated acute kidney injury is safe and efficacious. Investigators will assess if SGLT2 inhibition improves a composite cardio-renal outcome (mortality, dialysis, AKI progression, decongestion metrics, heart failure symptoms). Secondary objectives of this study are to compare individual components of the composite outcome as well as changes in biomarkers of kidney injury, inflammation, repair and oxidative stress between those exposed to the SGLT2 inhibitor vs placebo.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the drug finerenone (Karendia) can improve heart function in participants who are at risk for heart and kidney disease. The main question it aims to answer is whether adding finerenone to standard-of-care heart failure medical therapies will beneficially alter the heart structure and function of people who have risk factors for heart and kidney complications and whose left side of the heart is enlarged. The researchers will compare finerenone to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if finerenone improves heart structure and function. Participants will: * take a finerenone or a placebo tablet once a day for 12 months * have a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI; a safe, non-invasive scan to measure heart mass, stiffness and function) test at the beginning of the study and 12 months later * visit the clinic after one, three, six and twelve months to assess overall health and/or perform blood or urine tests

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if increasing the dose of diuretics to achieve a higher urine sodium target produces better clinical results when treating patients hospitalized with acute heart failure when compared to lower urine sodium target and standard of care. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does targeting a higher urine sodium goal achieve greater natriuresis and diuresis? 2. Does targeting a higher urine sodium goal reduce frequency of hospital readmissions? 3. Does targeting a higher urine sodium goal reduce hospital length of stay? Researchers will compare natriuresis-guided arms with standard of care to see if targeting higher natriuresis goals improves significantly over current practice. Participants will submit urine samples at routine intervals after being given diuretics to evaluate urine sodium concentration. If urine sodium is low then diuretic dose will be increased.

This study will look at whether using a phone app called StudyU can help people with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF) reach their recommended dose on their beta blocker.

This study aims to validate the accuracy and reliability of blood pressure (BP) estimates obtained over 24 hours using a PPG-based chest-patch device compared to the gold standard ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) method using an upper arm cuff-based oscillometric BP device, in both hypertensive and normotensive individuals referred by their provider to undergo a 24-hours ABPM for clinical indication. The Awake/Asleep test, which is the primary test recommended for automated wearable cuffless BP devices that are cuff-calibrated (based on the 2023 European Society of Hypertension (ESH) recommendations for the validation of cuffless blood pressure measuring devices), will be conducted in this study. The secondary aim of the study is to assess the feasibility and convenience of the PPG-based device.

A study Comparing the Clinical Benefit of Finerenone Versus a Fixed-Dose Combination (FDC) of Extended-Release Torsemide and Spironolactone in Patients with Hypertension and Chronic Kidney Disease.

This is a pivotal, global, prospective, cross-sectional, multicentric clinical investigation designed to explore a non-invasive, reliable alternative to invasive, catheter-based hemodynamic assessments, which are associated with procedural risks and limited applicability in certain participant populations.

The goal of this clinical trial is to study whether having a clinical decision support (CDS) tool available to clinician use will more effectively lower BP 4 weeks after an outpatient visit compared with usual care. The main objective is to assess the impact of the CDS tool, that is embedded with the electronic medical record (EMR), that is available during outpatient clinical encounters, on blood pressure (BP) changes among participants with uncontrolled hypertension. Participants will: Visit the clinic 4 weeks, after their initial clinician visit, for a BP check.