For decades, sodium restriction has been treated as a cornerstone of heart failure self-care—despite limited trial-quality evidence. In this episode of Heart Failure Beat, Dr. Tariq Ahmad (Yale School of Medicine; Associate Editor, JACC: Heart Failure) joins hosts Michael Beasley, MD, and Priya Umapathi, MD, to unpack what we actually know about sodium targets in hospitalized and outpatient heart failure. They discuss why inpatient studies have been inconsistent, why a VA-commissioned review concluded sodium restriction for admitted HF patients is not supported, and how focusing on “dietary indiscretion” can distract from evidence-based priorities like GDMT. Dr. Ahmad also previews the pragmatic, EHR-embedded SOAR-AHF trial designed to compare regular vs low-sodium hospital diets and measure outcomes like length of stay and readmissions.

Priya Umapathi, MD speaks with six HFSA past presidents live from ASM 2025. Nancy M. Albert, PhD, CCNS, CCRN, NE-BC, Biykem Bozkurt, MD, PhD, Jim Fang, MD, FHFSA, Mark H. Drazner, MD MSc, Michael Felker, MD, FHFSA, and Ken Margulies, MD, FHFSA discuss their journeys, achievements, and the future of heart failure — from prevention to precision medicine and AI. 

Guest editors Drs. Mak, Burkhoff, and Belkin join Heart Failure Beat to unpack the Journal of Cardiac Failure Hemodynamics Focus Issue. They discuss how renewed attention to pressure-volume loops, ECMO, and patient perspectives is reviving interest in hemodynamics as a vital foundation for heart failure care. Discover how simple physiological insights continue to drive complex innovations—and why now is the time to bring hemodynamics back to the center of cardiovascular practice. https://onlinejcf.com/current

Meet the editorial team behind JCF-Intersections, HFSA’s and the JCF Family of Journal’s new open-access journal. Drs. Jason Katz and Nosheen Reza share their vision for a journal that sits at the crossroads of heart failure and innovation. From unique article types to early-career mentorship, this is a must-listen for anyone in cardiovascular care. Listen now and read the debut issue of JCF-Intersections, out now at onlinejcfi.org. 

In this episode of the Heart Failure Beat, Dr. Eric Adler of UC San Diego Health joins the show to discuss his landmark gene therapy trial for Danon disease, recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Adler recounts the powerful bedside-to-bench-to-bedside story that led to the development of a groundbreaking treatment for this severe, genetic cardiomyopathy. He explains the mechanics and evolution of gene therapy, its promise in treating monogenic heart failure syndromes, and the early but encouraging clinical outcomes—like dramatic reductions in troponins and heart mass. The episode also explores regulatory and safety challenges, delivery limitations, and the critical role of patient advocacy. Whether you’re a heart failure specialist or a translational researcher, this conversation offers compelling insights into the future of precision therapies in cardiology.

In this episode of Heart Failure Beat, Dr. Shashank Sinha—Medical Director of the CICU at Inova Fairfax—joins hosts Dr. Priya Umapathi and Dr. Michael Beasley to unpack the 2025 ACC Expert Consensus Statement on Cardiogenic Shock. Together, they explore the updated SHARC classification, staging systems, and the S.U.S.P.E.C.T. mnemonic for early recognition. Dr. Sinha shares practical insights on invasive hemodynamics, shock team composition, and new data on mechanical circulatory support. Plus, hear his “Top 10 Takeaways” for managing this complex and dynamic condition. Whether you work in a tertiary center or a community hospital, this episode delivers guidance for real-world care.

In this compelling episode of the HF Beat, join hosts Michael Beasley, MD and Priya Umapathi, MD and an esteemed panel of experts, including Dr. Eileen Hsich, Dr. Anu Lala, and Dr. Ilan Goldenberg, as they delve into the nuanced world of sex differences in heart failure. This conversation spans three key topics: identifying traditional and sex-specific risk factors for heart failure, addressing disparities in diagnosis and treatment, and exploring the implications of these differences on therapeutic responses and device-based interventions. Highlights include discussions on under diagnosis in women due to natriuretic peptide thresholds, CRT’s heightened benefits in women with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, and the urgent need for inclusive clinical trials. With actionable insights and cutting-edge research, this episode equips heart failure clinicians with essential knowledge to better serve our heart failure patient population. Tune in to explore how advancing sex-specific research can transform heart failure care for all.

In this episode of the HF Beat, our hosts Michael and Priya sit down with Dr. Biykem Bozkurt, a leading expert in heart failure, to discuss the alarming rise of heart failure mortality rates in not just older patients but especially in our younger patients and certain minority groups. Dr. Bozkurt delves into the 2024 HF Stats report, highlighting concerning trends such as increasing incidence and prevalence, widening disparities in care, lack of available care, and the continued underutilization of guideline-directed therapies. We explore the root causes of these troubling statistics, including social determinants of health, access to care, and the impact of risk factors like obesity and diabetes. Dr. Bozkurt emphasizes the critical need for early recognition and treatment of risk factors to prevent heart failure progression and improve outcomes for all patients.

On this episode of HF Beat, Michael Felker, MD, FHFSA, current HFSA President, shares HFSA’s vision for the coming year, highlighting initiatives to expand patient and caregiver engagement, bolster research funding through the Heart Failure Research Foundation, and inspire the next generation of heart failure specialists.

This episode highlights critical updates in heart failure care with insights from leading experts. First, Marat Fudim, MD, MHS discusses the HFSA statement on device-based therapies, including emerging innovations like cardiac contractility modulation and remote monitoring tools. Next, Michelle Weisfelner Bloom, MD and Ana Barac, MD, PhD present the groundbreaking cardio-oncology and heart failure scientific statement, emphasizing the integration of cancer therapies and heart care. They explore strategies to manage treatment-related cardiac dysfunction and propose a "permissive toxicity" framework. Finally, Sarah Chuzi, MD, MSc and Haider Warraich, MD detail HFSA's palliative care consensus, providing actionable guidance for integrating primary and specialty palliative care in heart failure management. This episode equips clinicians with practical strategies and a forward-looking perspective to enhance patient outcomes.

In this episode of the Heart Failure Beat, our hosts sit down with Dr. James Fang, immediate past president of the Heart Failure Society of America, to discuss highlights from his term and the advancements shaping heart failure care. Dr. Fang reflects on major scientific breakthroughs, including the SEQUOIA-HCM and FINEARTS-HF trials, and the role of GLP-1 agonists. He also emphasizes the societal importance of accessible treatments, especially with recent legislative changes impacting drug affordability. Dr. Fang highlights initiatives like the Heart Failure Research Foundation’s support for early-career investigators and the Journal of Cardiac Failure's expansion into Open Access, which together aim to foster collaboration and drive innovation. Tune in for insights on pivotal developments, the future of heart failure as a specialty, and the Society’s commitment to fostering a multidisciplinary approach to patient care.

In this episode of Heart Failure Beat, Priya and Michael interview Dr. Partho Sengupta – cardiology artificial intelligence (AI) aficionado – who shares his expertise on the role of AI in transforming cardiovascular care, from diagnostics to personalized treatment. On Heart Failure Rounds, Michael discusses the latest research on nurse-led titration clinics and their significant impact on heart failure rehospitalizations and mortality. The episode wraps up with Priya’s review of the latest trials presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), highlighting new therapies and breakthroughs in cardiac and kidney care on From Failure to Function. A must-listen for clinicians interested in cutting-edge heart failure management.

On the July episode of the Heart Failure Beat, we celebrate the graduation of newly-minted advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologists. Michael and Priya welcome doctors Matthew Colna, Lekha Racharla, Benjamin Stoner, and Anas Jawaid to reflect on their PGY-7 year and look ahead on their first year as cardiology attendings. The EFFORT and CAST-HF trials, Arrhythmia-Induced Cardiomyopathy, and a Randomized Trial of Cholesterol Lowering With Evolocumab are also discussed.

In this month's episode, we welcome guests Stuart Prenner, MD and Kavita Sharma, MD to discuss what is quickly becoming the predominant form of heart failure in the United States: Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF). As leaders of two of the few HFpEF specialty clinics in the country, Drs. Prenner and Sharma provide a number of insights involving the evaluation and management of HFpEF patients. On Heart Failure Rounds, Michael explores the use of ARNI and MRA drugs in patients with chronic kidney disease and Craig Beavers, PharmD breaks down Troponin and Treatment Effects of Omecamtiv Mecarbil: GALACTIC-HF on the JCF Spotlight.

On the May episode of the Heart Failure Beat, Michael and Priya welcome Amanda Vest, MBBS, MPH, FHFSA and Adrian daSilva-deAbreu, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D to discuss the evaluation and management of obesity in patients with heart failure. Heart failure cardiologists need to become comfortable managing obesity, a common co-morbidity among their patients. In the JCF Spotlight, Associate Editor Colleen McIlvennan, PhD, DNP, ANP, FAHA, FHFSA reviews an article published in the May issue. And finally, on a special Heart Failure Rounds, Michael shares an interview with transplant recipient, where he relives his experience through heart transplantation and makes recommendations for the role of re-branding and for palliative care throughout that journey.

On the April episode of the Heart Failure Beat, Priya and Michael take on adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) with guests Chetan Pasrija, MD, MS, and Ari Cedars, MD, and discover that it’s never too early to refer a patient with ACHD for advanced therapies. Andrew Sauer, MD, an associate editor of the Journal of Cardiac Failure, joins the episode for a new segment featuring a review of a recently published article on the STRONG-HF trial. Priya does a fast-track review of 4 trials in 4 minutes from ACC.24 and the ISHLT 44th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions on From Failure to Function and on Heart Failure Rounds, Michael reviews a recently published HFSA Scientific Statement on cognitive impairment in HF. This is a slightly longer episode jam-packed with fascinating tidbits of information, so settle into the full episode or explore the chapters to catch your favorite segment!

We are pleased to announce that we are back after a brief hiatus, with segments recorded around the holidays in late 2023. In this episode, our hosts will discuss the broad topic of women in heart failure. Firstly, they will explore the disparities in care that women face, particularly regarding advanced heart failure treatment and enrollment in clinical trials. Next, they will turn to the professional side of women in heart failure, where they will be talking with two leaders from Women in Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support (WiTMCS) - a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the field and supporting women professionals in heart transplantation and mechanical support. Guests include Katherine Clark, MD, MBA, FACC, Ersilia DeFilippis, MD, FACC, FHFSA, and Eileen Hsich, MD, FHFSA.

Priya and Michael chat with the editors of the Journal of Cardiac Failure about what constructive disruption to scientific publishing means, touching on broad inclusion, double-blind peer reviews within seven days, being a platform for critical documents that help to define the field, mentorship, and what’s on the horizon for the JCF.

The newly released HF Stats℠ revealed that the incidence, prevalence, mortality and hospitalization rates of heart failure are increasing despite advances in treatment modalities, guideline recommendations, and strategies for implementation. Our hosts sat down with Dr. Biykem Bozkurt, the lead author on the 2023 HF Stats℠ annual report Heart Failure Epidemiology and Outcomes Statistics: A Report of the Heart Failure Society of America at the HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting 2023 to discuss trends, report outcomes, and next steps.  

On this episode, we bring you interviews recorded live at the HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting in early October 2023. The episode kicks off with a discussion with HFSA President James C. Fang, MD, FHFSA (00:50), followed by chats with three Late Breaking Clinical Trial presenters [Marat Fudim, MD, MHS (07:09); Marvin Konstam, MD (12:10); and James L. Januzzi, MD, FACC, FESC (17:55)]; and finally, a highlight reel with HFSA Social Media Catalysts Anju Bhardwaj, MD and Shashank S. Sinha, MD, MSc (25:20).  

Our co-hosts interview Jacob Abraham, MD, about navigating the concepts and controversies surrounding Ambulatory PA Pressure Monitoring for heart failure patients. 

In this month's featured discussion, our co-hosts interview Jeffrey Teuteberg, MD, and Shelley Hall, MD, on the 2018 update to the UNOS allocation system for donor hearts and where the heart transplant community is moving to in the future regarding this issue.

In this month's featured discussion, our co-hosts welcome Yousif Ahmad, BMBS, MRCP, PhD, and review the evidence supporting coronary revascularization in patients with ischemic heart failure.

The program's hosts, Michael Beasley, MD, and Priya Umapathi, MD, interview Clyde Yancy, MS, MSc, as well as Robert Centor, MD, MACP, about best practices and strategies for managing adult heart failure patients in internal medicine practice and beyond.

The conversation around equity in care continues as our co-hosts interview Nasrien Ibrahim, MD, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit The Equity in Heart Transplant Project, Inc. about creative solutions for helping historically excluded and systemically oppressed patients become better candidates for transplant and other advanced heart failure therapies. On From Failure to Function Priya discusses the ALT FLOW trial presented at THT 2023 that looks at using left atrial to coronary sinus shunting to treat symptomatic heart failure; and on HF Rounds Michael reviews a new scientific statement on Natriuretic Peptides from HFSA, JHFS, and ESC-HFA.

Michael Beasley, MD sits down with Jennifer Cowger, MD, MS, one of the co-authors on the recently released HFSA Expert Consensus Statement on the Medical Management of Patients on Durable Mechanical Circulatory Support, to learn key takeaways from the statement.

Our co-hosts interview Paul Heidenreich, MD, FHFSA a co-author of the 2022 ACC/AHA/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure about economic considerations in the management of HF. On "From Failure to Function", Priya dives into the late breaking trials from ACC.23 and Michael reviews three papers on HFpEF on HF Rounds.

Attention aspiring Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology faculty, this quick segment is for you! Looking for good advice on succeeding as an early career faculty member? Tune in as Michael Beasley, MD, interviews Preethi Pirlamarla, MD, on her ACC.org publication, Academic Medicine: Demystifying the Appointment Process.

On this quick follow-up to the February episode, Priya Umapthi MD interviews Biykem Bozkurt MD, PhD, FHFSA on CAM - what is it and what are the risks of CAM to GDMT?

Tune into this episode of HF Beat to hear co-hosts Michael Beasley, MD, and Priya Umapathi, MD, discuss complementary and alternative meds in the treatment of HF with guest, Nosheen Reza, MD.

On part two of this episode series, hosts Michael Beasley, MD and Priya Umapathi, MD continue their discussion on the top highlights of 2022 with current HFSA president Dr. John Teerlink. The STRONG-HF clinical trial, the future of Omecamtiv Mecarbil and the METEORIC-HF trial are discussed. Priya introduces her new episode segment "From Failure to Function," which summarizes the latest heart failure research presented at meetings around the world.

Hosts Michael Beasley, MD and Priya Umapathi, MD interview current and immediate past presidents John Teerlink MD, FHFSA, and Mark Drazner MD, MSc, FHFSA on the most significant events that took place in the field of heart failure in 2022 on this two-part series. Part one dives into SGLT2 inhibitors, the rapid uptitration of GDMT, and cardiac xenotransplantation. Michael also delivers HF Rounds, his new segment which features a succinct peek into interesting news from HF journals. Stay tuned for Part II coming in January!

On this episode our host Kevin Shah, MD passes the torch to the new co-hosts of the Heart Failure Beat: Michael Beasley, MD and Priya Umpathi, MD. Tune in and get to know what’s coming up on the podcast in the next year.

Podcast host Kevin Shah, MD, engages  Alanna Morris, MD, and Robert Page, PharmD, co-authors of the HFSA Position Paper The Impact of Healthcare Disparities on Patients with Heart Failure on key takeaways and implications. They unpack a recently published HFSA Position Statement on Disparities in and discuss action items that can be made across systems to help reduce disparities as well as improve access to care for our most vulnerable patients. 

Live Discussion originally broadcasted on the HFSA Twitter and YouTube on May 27, 2022.

Tune into this episode to hear two leaders elaborate on the complexities that exist between Critical Care Cardiology (CCC) and Advance Heart Failure Transplant and Cardiology (AHFTC) - the two care training pathways in heart failure patient care (Part II of a two-part series).

Tune into this episode to hear four physicians discuss challenges in recruiting trainees to pursue and excel in the field of advanced heart failure. Host Kevin Shah, MD (University of Utah) is joined by Drs. Sarah Chuzi (Northwestern University), Michelle Kittleson (Cedars Sinai Heart Institute) and Hirsch Mehta (Sharp HealthCare) for part one of our two-part series on Heart Failure Training and Career Paths.

Hear a discussion on GDMT and the gaps between the evidence and the practicality of implementation. They discuss the gap between trial-proven evidence-based heart failure therapies and implementation of these medications to our most vulnerable patients.

Hear from four leaders (Drs. Sharon Hunt, Mahazarin Ginwalla, Nancy Albert, and Silia DeFilippis) in heart failure/transplant cardiology about both historic and current challenges facing women in the field and how institutions and societies can support and foster cultures of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Host Kevin Shah, MD is joined by guest host Nosheen Reza, MD, to interview the winners of the 2021 HFSA Lifetime Achievement Award -  Inder Anand, MD,  PhD, and Lynne Warner Stevenson, MD, FHFSA. The episode was recorded live onsite at the HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting 2021, September 10-13 in Denver, Colorado.

Tune in for a discussion on challenges occurring in the delivery of heart failure care (including access, telehealth, and advanced therapies) in the rural US and an update on the HFSA Heart Failure Research Network. 

Our host Dr. Kevin Shah discusses with three expert clinicians (Dr. Eileen Hsich, Dr. Ersilia DeFilippis, & Dr. Kathleen Faulkenberg) the impact of marijuana use for our patients being considered or who have undergone heart transplantation. The discussants review the evolving literature and changing landscape of recreational as well as medicinal marijuana and the potential impact on drug interactions, adherence, and outcomes after heart transplantation. 

Gain insight into the direction and future of the Journal of Cardiac Failure in this Q&A with senior editors Dr. Rob Mentz and Dr. Anuradha Lala.

We discuss with co-chairs Drs Biykem Bozkurt and Andrew Coats the background, updates, and major changes in the recently published Consensus Statement on Heart Failure. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2021.01.022 

A look at how heart failure care providers are faring one year in to the COVID-19 pandemic and how treatment has changed as a result.

In this edition of the Heart Failure Beat, Drs. Mary Norine Walsh and Kathryn Lindley discuss recent advances in the diagnosis and management of pregnancy-associated heart failure and pregnancy following heart transplantation or durable mechanical circulatory support.

A music intervention from Italy involving daily listening of classical music selections was shown to improve quality of life and other outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure.

Evolving strategies for the management of heart failure in the context of COVID-19 are discussed with the lead authors of three papers published in the July issue of the Journal of Cardiac Failure.

Virtual Visits for the care of patients with heart failure in the era of COVID-19 and beyond -- best practices, policy changes, reimbursement, and more.