Pattern of use of conventional medical treatments of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND

In approximately 5-10% of cases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) presents left ventricular remodeling with hypokinesia and dilatation, defined "end-stage" phase (ES) of the disease, typically associated with development of advanced heart failure (HF). Prescription of conventional medical treatments for HF with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) have never been investigated in ES-HCM.

METHODS

ES-HCM patients from 11 Italian referral centres were retrospectively evaluated. We included only patients with a last clinical evaluation after 2019, to ensure all patients were potentially evaluated in the era of the "4 HFrEF pillars" (beta blockers [BB], renin-angiotensin system inhibitors [RASi], mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists [MRA], and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors [SGLT2i]). For all patients we collected clinical information, with a focus on medical therapy at last clinical evaluation.

RESULTS

The study population included 274 ES-HCM patients (59% males, mean age 60 ± 15 years). All 4 HFrEF pillars were prescribed in 26%. Specifically, 90% were treated with BB, 75% with RASi, 66% with MRA, 46% with SGLT2i. Few differences emerged when comparing patients taking versus not taking BB or RASi. Patients taking versus not taking MRA and SGLT2i more commonly had atrial fibrillation and showed worse echocardiographic features. SGLT2i use was significantly higher among ES-HCM patients with LVEF <40%.

CONCLUSIONS

While BB and RASi are commonly used in ES-HCM, MRA and SGLT2i are prescribed less frequently and in patients with a worse clinical profile. Combination of all classes is not common, suggesting both clinical inertia and limitations inherent to the disease pathophysiology.