Heart Failure is a Serious Condition and a Growing Epidemic in the United States February is American Heart Month – Experts Discuss Heart Failure Symptoms, Lifestyle Tips and Ways to Help Manage the Condition

Heart Failure is a Serious Condition and a Growing Epidemic in the United States
February is American Heart Month – Experts Discuss Heart Failure Symptoms, Lifestyle Tips and Ways to Help Manage the Condition
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW
Alan Gass, MD, Medical Director, Cardiac Transplantation & Mechanical Circulatory Support, Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, New York
Laurie Jennings, Deputy Editor, Good Housekeeping

BACKGROUND
Heart failure (HF) is a serious and life-threatening condition that represents a staggering and growing health and economic burden in the United States.1,2 Nearly 6 million Americans suffer from the condition, with about half impacted by a certain type of long-lasting HF.3,4 HF is the leading cause of hospitalization for Americans over the age of 65, as people living with it often experience debilitating symptoms.1,5 In fact, HF accounts for more than 1 million hospitalizations annually – that’s nearly two hospitalizations every minute.3 The economic burden of HF currently exceeds $30 billion in the United States (including direct and indirect costs), and this figure is expected to grow to nearly $70 billion by 2030.2

Though HF can’t be cured, people can take steps to better manage their condition and reduce the risks of hospitalization and cardiovascular death. There have been treatment improvements in recent years – such as Entresto® (sacubitril/valsartan) tablets, a prescription medicine for people with a certain type of long-lasting HF.6 Entresto is a breakthrough medicine proven to help more people stay alive and out of the hospital.7

February is American Heart Month, and cardiologist Dr. Alan Gass and Good Housekeeping Deputy Editor Laurie Jennings are available to discuss the impact of HF, its symptoms and ways to manage the condition.
Suggested Interview Questions for Dr. Alan Gass:
What is HF?
What are the symptoms of HF?
What can people with HF do to help manage their condition?
Suggested Interview Questions for Laurie Jennings:
What lifestyle changes would you suggest for those living with HF?
What are some heart-healthy foods that people with HF should eat?
Do you have suggestions for getting more physically active?

For more information, viewers and listeners should speak with their doctors to better understand HF and potential treatment options
MORE ABOUT DR. ALAN GASS
Alan Gass, MD, serves as Medical Director of Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support at Westchester Medical Center. Previously, he served for 15 years as Medical Director of Mount Sinai’s Heart Transplant Program in New York City. Dr. Gass completed a fellowship in Cardiac Transplantation at Stanford University after a residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a Cardiology fellowship at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. He is the author of numerous journal articles and an investigator in studies on transplantation and cardiac assist devices. Dr. Gass has appeared in Life Magazine and The New York Times and on CNN, NBC, CNBC and local New York news affiliates as a medical expert. A strong believer in the connection between body, mind and spirit, Dr. Gass believes achieving wellness is a team effort between patients and health professionals.

MORE ABOUT LAURIE JENNINGS

Laurie Jennings heads up the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she leads a variety of content initiatives, from editorial to product testing, as well as special projects and editorial innovations/business development across platforms. Laurie came to Good Housekeeping as the magazine’s deputy editor. Her first victory was re-launching the magazine’s health section. Most recently, she led the magazine’s venture into online shopping through a strategic partnership with Keep. Prior to Good Housekeeping, she was the executive editor and health director at Chatelaine, Canada’s largest women’s magazine. Throughout her career, Laurie has been dedicated to helping people lead happier, healthier, more fulfilling lives. Whether in print, TV, radio or digital, she strives to empower people with information and advice that allows them to make smarter lifestyle choices. She keeps active with yoga, spinning and running, completing the New York Marathon in 2013. Follow her on twitter @lauriejennings, instagram or keep @laurieajennings and pinterest @ladylauriej.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is the most important information I should know about ENTRESTO?
ENTRESTO can harm or cause death to your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about other ways to treat heart failure if you plan to become pregnant. If you get pregnant while taking ENTRESTO, tell your doctor right away.

INDICATION
What is ENTRESTO?
ENTRESTO is a prescription medicine used to reduce the risk of death and hospitalization in people with certain types of long-lasting (chronic) heart failure. ENTRESTO is usually used with other heart failure therapies, in place of an ACE inhibitor or other ARB therapy.

Who should not take ENTRESTO?
Do not take ENTRESTO if you:
are allergic to sacubitril or valsartan or any of the ingredients in ENTRESTO
have had an allergic reaction including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, throat (angioedema) or trouble breathing while taking a type of medicine called an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB)
take an ACE inhibitor medicine. Do not take ENTRESTO for at least 36 hours before or after you take an ACE inhibitor medicine. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking ENTRESTO if you are not sure if you take an ACE inhibitor medicine
have diabetes and take a medicine that contains aliskiren
What should I tell my doctor before taking ENTRESTO?
Before you take ENTRESTO, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you have kidney or liver problems; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant; are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. You should either take ENTRESTO or breastfeed. You should not do both.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take potassium supplements or a salt substitute; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); lithium; or other medicines for high blood pressure or heart problems such as an ACE inhibitor, ARB, or aliskiren.

What are the possible side effects of ENTRESTO?
ENTRESTO may cause serious side effects including:
angioedema that may cause trouble breathing and death. Get emergency medical help right away if you have symptoms of angioedema or trouble breathing. Do not take ENTRESTO again if you have had angioedema while taking ENTRESTO. People who are Black or who have had angioedema and take ENTRESTO may have a higher risk of having angioedema
low blood pressure (hypotension). Call your doctor if you become dizzy or lightheaded, or you develop extreme fatigue
kidney problems
increased amount of potassium in your blood
The most common side effects were low blood pressure, high potassium, cough, dizziness, and kidney problems.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

This information is not comprehensive. Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, and Patient Prescribing Information.

Fauci A, Longo D. Disorders of the Heart. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, NY; McGraw-Hill Book Co; 2008;4:1442-55.
Heidenreich PA, Albert NM, Allen LA, et al. Forecasting the impact of heart failure in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association. Circ Heart Fail. 2013;6:606-619.
Mozaffarian D, Benjamin EJ, Go AS, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2016 Update: A report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2016; 132:000-000. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000350.
Owan TE, Hodge DO, Herges RM, et al. Trends in prevalence and outcome of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. N Engl J Med. 2006;355:251–9.
Wier LM, Pfuntner A, Maeda J, et al. HCUP Facts and Figures: Statistics on Hospital-based Care in the United States, 2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 2011; 1-3.
ENTRESTO [prescribing information]. East Hanover, NJ: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp; August 2015.
McMurray JJV, Packer M, Desai AS, et al. Angiotensin-neprilysin inhibition versus enalapril in heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2014;371:993-1004. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1409077.

Note: this interview is provided by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

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