Heart failure patients will be offered new NHS miracle pill that cuts deaths and hospitalizations

More heart failure patients are offered a pill that reduces deaths and hospitalizations by a quarter and significantly improves their quality of life.

Last month, NHS shopping watchers approved the new drug, empagliflozin, for those with the most severe form of the disease who have not responded to other treatments.

Now, weeks later, doctors say health leaders are ready to offer the drug, even to patients with relatively strong heart function, known as “preserved” heart failure, in an effort to slow the progression of the disease.

Cardiologist Sharmaine Thirunavukarasu, who led research on empagliflozin at the University of Leeds, said the move could significantly improve survival rates in the UK.

“This is a revolutionary drug and research shows it significantly reduces hospitalizations and deaths, even in early-stage patients,” he said. “Soon we’ll have medicines that we can provide to almost every patient, from the critically ill to those with early heart failure, to prevent them from getting worse.”

Heart failure affects around one million Brits and occurs when the heart becomes too weak or stiff and cannot pump blood effectively throughout the body.

Despite significant advances in treatment over the past decade, one in five heart failure patients still dies within a year of diagnosis.

Mike Nesmith, who wore a wool cap to Monkees star Mike Nesmith in December, has passed away at the age of 78. People with heart failure experience a range of debilitating symptoms, such as extreme shortness of breath and overwhelming fatigue.

Patients are frequently hospitalized, and there are approximately 86,000 emergency hospital admissions for heart failure each year.

About half of patients have heart failure with decreased ejection fraction or a form of the disease known as HFrEF; this means that the amount of blood the organ can pump with each stroke is significantly less than it should be.

The other half have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction or a less severe form, HFpEF. Most patients with HFpEF worsen and the only real cure is transplantation.

Empagliflozin was originally developed for the treatment of heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes.

But diabetes doctors were quick to note that patients who took it were more likely to see improvements in heart function and blood pressure than those who didn’t.

In June 2021, The Mail on Sunday revealed that a University of Leeds study examining a group of patients with type 2 diabetes on the drug found that empagliflozin had a direct effect on the heart muscle, making it stronger.

Dr. In the study led by Thirunavukarasu, patients also lost weight.

Meanwhile, data from a UK study submitted to the NHS grantor, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, showed that HFrEF patients who took empagliflozin in addition to their current medication were 25% less likely to be hospitalized or die from heart failure.

Last month, NHS shopping watchers approved the new drug, empagliflozin, for those with the most severe form of the disease who have not responded to other treatments. [File image]

Another study conducted at the same time showed that patients with HFpEF who took the drug were 20% less likely to be hospitalized with heart problems.

Doctors say this is important because so far there are few treatments that can effectively treat HFpEF patients with heart failure who instead have to wait for their condition to worsen before taking the drugs.

Martin Sheehan, 74, from North London, was one of the first heart failure patients in the UK to benefit from empagliflozin after starting the drug five years ago.

The married father of three children was hospitalized 14 years ago with severe heart failure, had an implanted defibrillator and was taking several heart tablets.

Martin, a former truck driver, says his condition continues to worsen. He participated in a trial with empagliflozin and was told to take one pill a day in addition to other medications.

“After a few weeks, I felt like I could hold my breath. Climbing the stairs was no problem and I was able to walk without having to sit. Every time I went to the hospital they would tell me that my heart was fine and that the tests did not show any problems.

Most importantly, Martin says he can now get up and dance at parties. “I also had a hard time doing a slow waltz on their birthday. Now I can hold the whole record without a break and laugh.’