Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Is There An Association Between Living In A Rural Area And The Incidence Of Postoperative Complications Or Hospital Readmissions Following Left Ventricular Assist Device (Lvad) Implantation, Compared To Urban Lvad Recipients?, Samrat Gollapudi, Abhiram Gollapudi, Srinidhi Banala, Sheraj Singh, Bhaumik Patel

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are utilized as a therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart failure. While LVAD implantation can significantly improve survival rates and quality of life, the procedure is not without risks, and postoperative complications are common. This review aims to investigate whether there is an association between living in a rural area and the incidence of postoperative complications or hospital readmissions following LVAD implantation, compared to urban LVAD recipients.

Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted, examining studies that compared postoperative outcomes between rural and urban LVAD recipients. Data were extracted on adverse …

What Is The Additive Value Of Nutritional Deficiency To Va-Fi In The Risk Assessment For Heart Failure Patients?, Seulgi Erica Kim, Mehrnaz Azarian, Aanand D Naik, Catherine Park, Molly J Horstman, Salim S Virani, Orna Intrator, Christopher I Amos, Ariela Orkaby, Javad Razjouyan

Journal Articles

OBJECTIVES: to assess the impact of adding the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) to the U.S. Veterans Health Administration frailty index (VA-FI) for the prediction of time-to-death and other clinical outcomes in Veterans hospitalized with Heart Failure.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of veterans hospitalized for heart failure (HF) from October 2015 to October 2018. Veterans ≥50 years with albumin and lymphocyte counts, needed to calculate the PNI, in the year prior to hospitalization were included. We defined malnutrition as PNI ≤43.6, based on the Youden index. VA-FI was calculated from the year prior to the hospitalization and identified three groups: …

Definition Of Polypharmacy In Heart Failure: A Scoping Review Of The Literature, Keshav Patel, Jorge A Irizarry-Caro, Adil Khan, Travis Holder, Darrell Salako, Parag Goyal, Min Ji Kwak

Journal Articles

Patients with heart failure (HF) have a high prevalence of polypharmacy, which can lead to drug interactions, cognitive impairment, and medication non-compliance. However, the definition of polypharmacy in these patients is still inconsistent. The aim of this scoping review was to find the most common definition of polypharmacy in HF patients. We conducted a scoping review searching Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane using terms including polypharmacy, HF and deprescribing, which resulted in 7,949 articles. Articles without a definition of polypharmacy in HF patients and articles which included patients < 18 years of age were excluded; only 59 articles were included. Of the 59 articles, 49% (n = 29) were retrospective, 20% (n = 12) were prospective, 10% (n = 6) were cross-sectional, and 27% (n = 16) were review articles. Twenty percent (n = 12) of the articles focused on HF with reduced ejection fraction, 10% (n = 6) focused on HF with preserved ejection fraction and 69% (n = 41) articles either focused on both diagnoses or did not clarify the specific type of HF. The most common cutoff for polypharmacy in HF was five medications (59%, n = 35). There was no consensus regarding the inclusion or exclusion of over-the-counter medications, supplements, or vitamins. Some newer studies used a cutoff of 10 medications (14%, n = 8), and this may be a more practical and meaningful definition for HF patients.

Highlights Of The 2023 Brano Heart Failure Forum, Bela Merkely, Rajko Radovancevic, Bojan Vrtovec, Igor D. Gregoric

The VAD Journal

Since 2007, the Branislav “Brano” Radovancevic Heart Failure Forum (BHFF) has been held annually to provide a venue for experts to present and discuss “Innovations and New Treatment Strategies in Heart Failure.” Clinicians and researchers gather yearly in a different Eastern European city to discuss the latest in heart failure diagnostics and therapeutics. The 2023 BHHF forum was held on the 13^th thru 15^th of September 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. It was attended by over 100 faculty from 16 countries. In addition, participation through online streaming was available. Throughout the forum, 16 sessions focused on challenges and solutions …

Early Renal Denervation Attenuates Cardiac Dysfunction In Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction, Jake E. Doiron, Zhen Li, Xiaoman Yu, Kyle B. Lapenna, Heather Quiriarte, Timothy D. Allerton, Kashyap Koul, Andrew Malek, Sanjiv J. Shah, Thomas E. Sharp, Traci T. Goodchild, Daniel R. Kapusta, David J. Lefer

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The renal sympathetic nervous system modulates systemic blood pressure, cardiac performance, and renal function. Pathological increases in renal sympathetic nerve activity contribute to the pathogenesis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We investigated the effects of renal sympathetic denervation performed at early or late stages of HFpEF progression. METHODS AND RESULTS: Male ZSF1 obese rats were subjected to radiofrequency renal denervation (RF-RDN) or sham procedure at either 8 weeks or 20 weeks of age and assessed for cardiovascular function, exercise capacity, and cardiorenal fibrosis. Renal norepinephrine and renal nerve tyrosine hydroxylase staining were performed to quantify denervation …

Post-Capillary Pulmonary Hypertension: Clinical Review, Joshua Riley, James Fradin, Douglas Russ, Eric Warner, Yevgeniy Brailovsky, Indranee Rajapreyar

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) caused by left heart disease, also known as post-capillary PH, is the most common etiology of PH. Left heart disease due to systolic dysfunction or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, valvular heart disease, and left atrial myopathy due to atrial fibrillation are causes of post-capillary PH. Elevated left-sided filling pressures cause pulmonary venous congestion due to backward transmission of pressures and post-capillary PH. In advanced left-sided heart disease or valvular heart disease, chronic uncontrolled venous congestion may lead to remodeling of the pulmonary arterial system, causing combined pre-capillary and post-capillary PH. The hemodynamic definition of post-capillary …

Common Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction Animal Models Yield Disparate Myofibril Mechanics, Axel J. Fenwick, Vivek P. Jani, D. Brian Foster, Thomas E. Sharp, Traci T. Goodchild, Kyle Lapenna, Jake E. Doiron, David J. Lefer, Joseph A. Hill, David A. Kass, Anthony Cammarato

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

End-Of-Life Care For Patients With End-Stage Heart Failure, Comparisons Of International Guidelines, Frederick Berro Rivera, Sarang Choi, Genquen Philip Carado, Arcel V. Adizas, Nathan Ross B. Bantayan, Gerard Jude P. Loyola, Sung Whoy Cha, John Paul Aparece, Anlene Jane B. Rocha, Siena Placino, Marie Francesca M. Ansay, Gerard Francis E. Mangubat, Mer Lorraine P. Mahilum, Abdullah Al-Abcha, Natasha Suleman, Nishant Shah, Tisha Marie B. Suboc, Annabelle Santos Volgman

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, debilitating condition associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic burden. Patients with end-stage HF (ESHF) who are not a candidate for advanced therapies will continue to progress despite standard medical therapy. Thus, the focus of care shifts from prolonging life to controlling symptoms and improving quality of life through palliative care (PC). Because the condition and prognosis of HF patients evolve and can rapidly deteriorate, it is imperative to begin the discussion on end-of-life (EOL) issues early during HF management. These include the completion of an advance directive, do-not-resuscitate orders, and policies on device …

Impact Of Comorbid Heart Failure Among Hospitalized Patients With Sarcoidosis: A United States Population-Based Cohort Study, Bruce Adrian Casipit, Kevin Bryan Lo, Carlo Gabriel Casipit, Abdiodun Idowu, Aman Amanullah

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: There is paucity of data regarding the impact of concomitant heart failure (HF) on the in-hospital outcomes among hospitalized sarcoidosis patients. We aim to investigate the factors associated with concomitant HF and its impact on in-hospital outcomes among hospitalized sarcoidosis patients.

METHODS: We utilized the 2018-2020 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) Database in conducting this study. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to examine the factors associated with HF and hospital-associated outcomes among patients with sarcoidosis.

RESULTS: A total of 36,864 hospitalized patients with sarcoidosis were identified, of which 24.78 % (n = 9135/36,864) had concomitant HF. Factors …

Pm2.5 And Cardiovascular Diseases: State-Of-The-Art Review, Chayakrit Krittanawong, Yusuf Kamran Qadeer, Richard B. Hayes, Zhen Wang, George D. Thurston, Salim S. Virani, Carl J. Lavie

Office of the Provost

Air pollution, especially exposure to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), has been associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality around the world. Specifically, it seems that PM2.5 promotes the development of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and atherosclerosis, while being associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, heart failure, and arrhythmias. In this review, we seek to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms by which exposure to PM2.5 can result in adverse cardiovascular outcomes, in addition to understanding the link between exposure to PM2.5 and cardiovascular events. It is hypothesized that PM2.5 functions via 3 …

Relationship Of Race With Functional And Clinical Outcomes With The Rehab-Hf Multidomain Physical Rehabilitation Intervention For Older Patients With Acute Heart Failure, Olivia N. Gilbert, Robert J. Mentz, Alain G. Bertoni, Dalane W. Kitzman, David J. Whellan, Gordon R. Reeves, Pamela W. Duncan, Michael Benjamin Nelson, Vanessa Blumer, Haiying Chen, Shelby D. Reed, Bharathi Upadhya, Christopher M. O'Connor, Amy M. Pastva

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background

The REHAB‐HF (Rehabilitation Therapy in Older Acute Heart Failure Patients) randomized trial demonstrated that a 3‐month transitional, tailored, progressive, multidomain physical rehabilitation intervention improves physical function, frailty, depression, and health‐related quality of life among older adults with acute decompensated heart failure. Whether there is differential intervention efficacy by race is unknown.

Methods and Results

In this prespecified analysis, differential intervention effects by race were explored at 3 months for physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery [primary outcome], 6‐Minute Walk Distance), cognition, depression, frailty, health‐related quality of life (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, EuroQoL 5‐Dimension‐5‐Level Questionnaire) and at 6 months for …

Left Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy And Myocardial Bridging Association : A Coincidence Or A Usual Association ?, Abdessamad Couissi, Saleh Obeidat, Amine Mamoune Boutaleb, Rachida Habbal

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Left ventricular non compaction (LVNC) is a rare congenital disease. It occurs due to an arrest of the myocardial fibers compaction during embryogenesis. Myocardial bridge (MB) is a coronary anomaly in which the myocardium covers segments of the coronary arteries. We report a rare case of 62-year-old women who was diagnosed with the association of LVNC and MB revealed by chest pain and dyspnea. Some similar cases were reported in the last two decades suggesting that we may be in front of a usual yet underdiagnosed association. To our knowledge, this is the first case described in the Arab World.

Concept Of Health-Related Quality Of Life Among People With Heart Failure In Karachi, Pakistan, Anny Ashiq Ali

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, are a leading cause of global mortality. The mortality rate for cardiovascular diseases is on the rise, with 80 % to 86 % of fatalities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, including Pakistan. Among NCDs, heart failure (HF) is a condition for which there is no cure, and patients rely on supportive treatments to maintain their quality of life. HF not only affects physical well-being but also has far-reaching consequences on the emotional, social, and cognitive aspects of life. In the context of Pakistan, where unique healthcare, sociocultural, and economic factors prevail, the …

"Reducing Heart Failure Readmission Rates Through Implementation Of Heart Failure Diuretic", Caley Tatrn, Yvonne Weideman, Venkatraman Srinivasan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Background and significance: heart disease was the number one cause of death in the United States in 2021, with 696, 962 deaths (Leading Causes of Death, 2022). There are about 6.2 million individuals in the U.S. total with heart failure (Kilgore et al., 2017). About one-quarter of patients with heart failure are readmitted within thirty days of discharge, while one-quarter of hospital readmissions are preventable. Between 2010-2017, over seven million patients were admitted for heart failure in the United States. Eighteen percent had a readmission within thirty days and thirty-one percent had a readmission within ninety days (Khan et …

Natriuretic Peptide Biomarkers In The Imminent Development Of Preeclampsia., Stefanie Marek-Iannucci, Estefania Oliveros, Yevgeniy Brailovsky, Preethi Pirlamarla, Amanda Roman, Indranee Rajapreyar

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Preeclampsia is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnancy, the incidence being significantly higher in low-income countries with reduced access to health care. Women with preeclampsia are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease with a poorer long-term outcome. Early recognition and treatment are key to improving short- and long-term outcomes. Approximately 3%-5% of pregnant women will develop preeclampsia, with potentially fatal outcomes. Despite ongoing research, the exact pathophysiologic mechanism behind its development remains unclear. In this brief report, we describe the potential role of natriuretic peptides as biomarkers in the imminent development of preeclampsia. In …

Etiologies And Predictors Of 30-Day Readmission In Heart Failure: An Updated Analysis, Akhil Jain, Shilpkumar Arora, Viral Patel, Maharshi Raval, Karnav Modi, Nirav Arora, Rupak Desai, Behnam Bozorgnia, Raphael Bonita

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Readmissions in heart failure (HF), historically reported as 20%, contribute to significant patient morbidity and high financial cost to the healthcare system. The changing population landscape and risk factor dynamics mandate periodic epidemiologic reassessment of HF readmissions.

METHODS: National Readmission Database (NRD, 2019) was used to identify HF-related hospitalizations and evaluated for demographic, admission characteristics, and comorbidity differences between patients readmitted vs. those not readmitted at 30-days. Causes of readmission and predictors of all-cause, HF-specific, and non-HF-related readmissions were analyzed.

RESULTS: Of 48,971 HF patients, the readmitted cohort was younger (mean 67.4 vs. 68.9 years, p≤0.001), had …

Partial Support In Chronic Heart Failure, Bart Meyns, Walter Droogne, Steven Jacobs

The VAD Journal

Partial left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support offers several advantages in treating chronic heart failure. It also raises concerns about insufficient support, worsening symptoms, and impediment of myocardial recovery. The clinical trial results for the CircuLite device (Medtronic) have shown that close monitoring can ensure improved outcomes for partial support. Another study on the ovine model demonstrated that partial and full support have similar effects regarding reverse remodeling. Thus, patients receiving partial LVAD support need regular follow-up care. Clinical assessment of symptoms and organ function must be used alongside objective judgment of patients’ needs to ensure support levels are appropriately …

Highlights Of The 2022 Brano Heart Failure Forum: Part Two, Ugolino Livi, Rajko Radovancevic, Bojan Vrtovec, Igor D. Gregoric

The VAD Journal

Since 2007, the Branislav “Brano” Radovancevic Heart Failure Forum (BHFF) has been held annually to provide a venue for experts to present and discuss “Innovations and New Treatment Strategies in Heart Failure.” Clinicians and researchers gather yearly in a different Eastern European city to discuss the latest in heart failure diagnostics and therapeutics. The 2022 BHFF forum was held on the 6^th thru 8^th of September 2022 in Trieste, Italy. It was attended by over 94 faculty from 14 countries. In addition, participation through online streaming was available. Throughout the forum, 17 sessions focused on challenges and solutions …

Reduced Heart Failure-Related Healthcare Costs With Furoscix Versus In-Hospital Intravenous Diuresis In Heart Failure Patients: The Freedom-Hf Study, Daniel Bensimhon, William S. Weintraub, William Frank Peacock, Tamas Alexy, Dalton Mclean, Donald C. Haas, Kathleen L. Deering, Stefanie J. Millar, Matthew M. Goodwin, John F. Mohr

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Aim: Compare heart failure (HF) costs of Furoscix use at home compared with inpatient intravenous (IV) diuresis.

Patients & methods: Prospective, case control study of chronic HF patients presenting to emergency department (ED) with worsening congestion discharged to receive Furoscix 80 mg/10 ml 5-h subcutaneous infusion for ≤7 days. 30-day HF-related costs in Furoscix group derived from commercial claims database compared with matched historical patients hospitalized for <72 h.

Results: Of 24 Furoscix patients, 1 (4.2%) was hospitalized in 30-day period. 66 control patients identified and were well-matched for age, sex, ejection fraction (EF), renal function and other comorbidities. Furoscix patients had …

The Daily Activity Of Patients With Heart Failure During Covid-19 Pandemic., Christine Sykalo, Ugochukwu Egolum, Hua Ling

PCOM Scholarly Papers

BACKGROUND: Sedentary behavior is thought to contribute to worsening heart failure syndromes. Here, we examined whether the shelter-in-place order during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic changed daily activity duration, which was monitored by an implantable cardiac device-based multisensor index and alert algorithm called HeartLogic.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the HeartLogic data from patients with heart failure managed at our clinic and compared the individual daily activity duration 90 days prior to vs. after implementation of the shelter-in-place order. The activity data were prepared by Boston Scientific. Demographic data were extracted from our electronic medical record.

RESULTS: …

Highlights Of The 2022 Brano Heart Failure Forum: Part One, Ugo Livi, Rajko Radovancevic, Bojan Vrtovec, Igor D. Gregoric

The VAD Journal

Since 2007, the Branislav “Brano” Radovancevic Heart Failure Forum (BHFF) has been held annually to provide a venue for experts to present and discuss “Innovations and New Treatment Strategies in Heart Failure.” Clinicians and researchers gather yearly in a different Eastern European city to discuss the latest in heart failure diagnostics and therapeutics. The 2022 BHHF forum was held on the 6^th thru 8^th of September 2022 in Trieste, Italy. It was attended by over 94 faculty from 14 countries. In addition, participation through online streaming was available. Throughout the forum, 17 sessions focused on challenges and solutions …

Patient Experience In An Interprofessional Collaborative Practice For Underserved Patients With Heart Failure, Connie White-Williams, Maria R. Shirey, Reid Eagleson, Wei Su, Terri Poe, Brittany Fitts, Vera Bittner

Patient Experience Journal

Heart failure is a complex chronic condition that results in multiple patient visits throughout the care continuum. Patient experience has associations with clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine patient experience among the underserved in a specialized interprofessional collaborative practice heart failure clinic. This prospective study utilized both qualitative and quantitative data to describe the patient experience within an interprofessional collaborative practice. Data were collected from patient experience surveys in 1128 patients seen in the Heart Failure Transitional Care Services for Adults (HRTSA) clinic between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2021. Interprofessional collaborative practice surveys were …

Impact Of End Stage Renal Disease On The Clinical Outcomes Of Diabetics Admitted For Heart Failure: Analysis Of National Inpatient Sample, Muhammad Usman Almani, Yaqi Zhang, Muhammed Hamza Arshad, Muhammad Usman, Muhammad Talha Ayub

Einstein Health Papers

Introduction: Patients with diabetes and heart failure (HF) can have varying outcomes depending on whether they also have End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). This study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients with diabetes and HF with and without ESRD.

Methods: Data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2016-2018 was analyzed to find hospitalizations for patients with HF as the main diagnosis and diabetes as a secondary diagnosis, with and without ESRD. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analysis was used to adjust for confounding factors.

Results: In the total cohort of 12215 patients with a principal diagnosis of heart failure …

Retrospective Analyses Of The Outcomes Among Hospitalized Liver Cirrhosis Patients With Heart Failure And Covid-19 Infection: Insight From The National Inpatient Sample, Bruce Adrian Casipit, Hussein Al-Sudani, Ahmer Khan, Emmanuel Akuna, Aman Amanullah

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Background: There is paucity of data regarding the impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection on the outcomes of hospitalized liver cirrhosis (LC) patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods: Utilizing the 2020 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) Database, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate the outcomes of hospitalized LC patients with HF and COVID-19 infection, looking at its impact on in-hospital mortality, risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) and length of stay (LOS).

Results: We identified a total of 10,810 hospitalized LC patients with HF, of which 1.39 % (n = 150/10,810) had COVID-19 infection. Using a stepwise survey …

Case Report: Use Of Impella 5.5 For 77 Days Prior To Heart Transplantation, Sahajahan Ashraf

West Florida Division Research Day 2023

No abstract provided.

Glucocentric Drugs In Cardiovascular Disease Protection And Heart Failure, Khawaja M. Talha, Gregg C. Fonarow, Salim S. Virani, Javed Butler

Office of the Provost

Evidence for cardiovascular outcomes with older-generation antihyperglycemic drugs in the management of type 2 diabetes is based on aggregated data from prior randomized controlled trials and observational studies that were not focused on prespecified cardiovascular end points. Newer antihyperglycemic medications have undergone a rigorous evaluation of cardiovascular outcomes through randomized controlled trials since the US Food and Drug Administration imposed a mandatory requirement for all glucose-lowering drugs in 2008. The three classes of drugs that have been most extensively studied are dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, the latter two reporting significant …

Ten Year Real World Experience With Ultrafiltration For The Management Of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, Donald C. Haas, Maureen Hummel, Patricia Barrella, Waqas Ullah, Misung Yi, Robert Watson

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCT) of ultrafiltration (UF) have demonstrated conflicting results regarding its efficacy and safety.

Objective: We reviewed 10 years of data for adjustable UF during heart failure hospitalizations in a real world cohort.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, single center analysis of 335 consecutive patients treated with adjustable rate UF using the CHF Solutions Aquadex Flex Flo System from 2009 to 2019.

Results: Compared to previous RCTs investigating UF, our cohort was older, with worse renal impairment and more antecedent HF hospitalizations in the year preceding therapy. Mean fluid removal with UF was 14.6 l. Mean weight …

Barriers And Facilitators In Implementing Multiplatform Remote Patient Monitoring Of Heart Failure Patients In Clinical Settings, Zachary Andrew Reilly

All Theses

Remote patient monitoring (RPM), which provides continuous monitoring of vital signs, has become increasingly utilized in patients with heart failure (HF). As this condition impacts more than 26 million Americans each year, it is important to determine the barriers and facilitators of RPM to both improve patient care and help medical professionals make more informed medical decisions. To determine these barriers and facilitators, our research team partnered with Prisma Health-Upstate to interview healthcare professionals working at Carolina Cardiology Consultants--Greenville, which uses multiple RPM systems to monitor heart failure patients.

The twelve interviews conducted support that healthcare professionals would benefit from …

The Role Of Telehealth In Reducing Hospital Readmissions For Heart Failure Patients, Tommy Lee Bratcher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Heart failure affects over six million people annually, and is expected to increase to over eight million by 2030. Over 60 million people live in the rural United States. Telehealth is a tool to improve access to care, provide early intervention, and follow up with patients within 48 hours of a hospital discharge. Utilizing Telehealth to conduct a medication reconciliation within 48 hours of discharge to address any medication errors or admission, and reinforce adherence is a way to improve access to care to those living in rural areas.

Telehealth And Hospital Readmissions For Heart Failure Patients: A Literature Review, Tommy Lee Bratcher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Currently heart failure affects over six million people and is expected to increase to over eight million people by 20230. The US Census Bureau estimates over 60 million people live in a rural setting. This literature review seeks to determine the state of the science regarding the utilization of Telehealth to reduce heart failure readmissions in rural areas.