The Pharmacist’s Role in Managing Patients with Worsening Heart Failure

Provided by the Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL).

Supported by an independent medical educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

RELEASE DATE

June 16, 2023

Expiration Date

June 16, 2024

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW

Pharmacists play a vital role in the management of patients with heart failure (HF). Navigate through this interactive self-directed, pharmacist-targeted activity designed to optimize your decision-making to apply the most recent clinical trial data and guidance seen in real-world HF practice, particularly in patients with worsening HF and after recent HF hospitalization. Expert perspectives and insights cover guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) implementation and additional adjustment therapies to improve patient quality of life, hospitalization rates, and mortality risks in your patients with worsening HF. 

TARGET AUDIENCE

This activity is designed for clinical and hospital pharmacists, who manage patients with heart failure.

GOAL (ACTIVITY PURPOSE)

HF is a complex disease associated with adverse outcomes and poor quality of life for patients. It is also a significant driver of hospitalizations and readmissions. Delays in diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and undertreatment are common as patients often see a multitude of healthcare providers. Yet, early recognition and treatment are critical to reducing morbidity and mortality associated with HF, particularly those with worsening HF and after recent HF hospitalization. There have been significant advances in treatment with new disease-modifying agents introduced. Despite the accumulating evidence and calls for guideline-directed medical therapy, this approach is underutilized, and clinicians struggle to initiate and optimize therapy in clinical practice. In addition, many clinicians remain unaware of novel strategies for patients with worsening HF or after recent HF hospitalization. This FAQ activity with expert commentary can help clinicians overcome these persistent gaps and challenges in HF care.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this activity, pharmacists will be able to:

• Describe unmet needs and clinical practice gaps for complex patients with worsening HF
• Describe the impact of worsening heart failure on healthcare utilization and patient outcomes
• Recognize the effectiveness of novel therapies for patients who continue to experience symptoms and hospitalization due to worsening HF
• Employ pharmacist-led interventions to optimally introduce novel therapies into treatment paradigms for HF

FACULTY

Cait E. Kulig, PharmD, HF-Cert
Cardiology Clinical Pharmacist
Inpatient Cardiothoracic Surgery/Cardiology Outpatient Clinic
St. Joseph's University Medical Center
Paterson, NJ
Clinical Assistant Professor
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
                               Piscataway, NJ

B. Andrew Mardis, PharmD, BCCP, BCTXP, BCPS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Advanced Heart Failure
Director, PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy Residency
Prisma Health–Midlands
Columbia, SC

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

The Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL) requires that the faculty participating in an accredited continuing education activity disclose all affiliations or other financial relationships within 24 months (1) with the manufacturers of any commercial product(s) and/or provider(s) of commercial services discussed in an educational presentation and (2) with any ineligible companies. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to this activity.

The following financial relationships have been provided:

Cait E. Kulig, PharmD, HF-Cert (Faculty)
No financial relationships to disclose.

B. Andrew Mardis, PharmD, BCCP, BCTXP, BCPS
Speakers' Bureau: AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim

Discussion of Off-Label, Investigational, or Experimental Drug/Device Use: None

STAFF AND REVIEWER DISCLOSURES

ACHL staff members and others involved with the planning, development, and review of the content for this activity have no relevant affiliations or financial relationships to disclose.

ACCREDITATION STATEMENTS

The Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

This activity has been approved for 1.0 contact hours.

ACPE Universal Activity Number: 0396-0000-23-005-H01-P

Activity Type: Application

Fee Information: There is no fee to participate in this activity

HOW TO EARN CREDIT

This activity will take approximately 60 minutes to complete. To receive credit, learners are required to complete the pretest, view the online activity, and complete the posttest and evaluation within a maximum of 60 days of participating in the activity. To answer the questions, click on your selected choice for each answer then proceed to the next question. Once completed, click on the Grade Exam button at the bottom of the page. Your posttest will automatically be graded. If you successfully complete the posttest (score of 80% or higher), your statement of participation will be made available immediately. Click on the View Statement of Participation link and print the statement for your records. If you receive a score lower than 80%, you will receive a message notifying you that you did not pass the posttest. You will have 2 opportunities to pass the posttest. To receive Credit, you must provide your date of birth and NABP number. All Credit information will be uploaded into CPE monitor within 30 days.

Partial credit may not be awarded for CPE; participation in the complete activity is required to receive credit.

For questions, contact Karen Catino at kcatino@achlcme.org

ACTIVITY OUTLINE

Topic #1: Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) for Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF)
Topic #2: Individualized Management for Patients With Worsening HFrEF
Topic #3: Opportunities With New and Emerging Therapies for Worsening HFrEF
Topic #4: Role of the Pharmacist on the Collaborative Management Team

DISCLOSURE OF UNLABELED USE AND DISCLAIMER

The content for this activity was developed independently of any ineligible companies. All materials are included with permission. The opinions expressed are those of the faculty and are not to be construed as those of the publisher or grantor(s).

This educational activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Recommendations involving clinical medicine in a continuing medical education (CME/CE) activity must be based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients. All scientific research referred to, reported, or used in CME/CE in support or justification of a patient care recommendation must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.

This CME/CE activity might describe the off-label, investigational, or experimental use of medications and/or devices that may exceed their FDA-approved labeling. Physicians should consult the current manufacturers’ prescribing information for these products. ACHL requires the speaker to disclose that a product is not labeled for the use under discussion.

REQUIRED COMPUTER HARDWARE/SOFTWARE

Please ensure the computer system you plan to use meets the following minimum requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 98 or higher & Macintosh 2.2 or higher
• Internet Browser (Mac & Windows): Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, Google Chrome, Safari 5.0.6 or higher, Firefox 3.0.3 or higher, & Opera 5 or higher
• Broadband Internet connection: Cable, High-speed DSL & any other medium that is internet accessible
• Peripherals: Computer speakers or headphones
• Monitor Screen Resolution: 320 x 480 or higher
• Media Viewing Requirements: Adobe Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, Flash Player & HTML5