Aligning pill burden and palliative care needs in late-stage CVD: AHA

Aligning pill burden and palliative care needs in late-stage CVD: AHA 
TCTMD - Cardiovascular Research Foundation; by L.A. McKeown; 7/2/24 
The first scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) that focuses specifically on pharmacotherapy considerations in the palliative management of patients with CVD [cardiovascular diesease] urges a patient-centered, compassionate approach to de-escalating and deprescribing. ... In addition to shedding light on how and when to start deprescribing and de-escalating common cardiovascular drugs, the statement discusses palliative drugs for pain, shortness of breath, and appetite in the context of CVD, which [Katherine E.] Di Palo [PharmD (Montefoiore Medical Center, NY)] said the committee identified as a gap in knowledge given that much of the evidence for these drugs comes from patients with serious illnesses like cancer. ... Important Takeaways: Di Palo and colleagues note that palliative care complements cardiovascular care in several important ways, including reducing physical symptom burden, managing emotional and spiritual distress, providing sufficient support for caregivers, and helping patients choose treatment in line with their goals for care. 
Editor's Note: Click here for the American Heart Association's statement, which we posted on 7/2/24.