What is on the horizon for improved treatments for acutely decompensated heart failure?

Patients hospitalized with acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF) are often critically ill and require immediate treatment to stabilize their haemodynamic status. Despite improving the signs and symptoms of ADHF, currently available therapies have failed to demonstrate improvements in post-discharge outcomes, such as mortality and rehospitalization, and to address the impact of end-organ damage. Furthermore, attempts to develop therapies to treat patients with ADHF over the past 10 to 20 years have been largely unsuccessful, further compounding the problem. Recent evidence supporting a variety of novel therapies, such as serelaxin and natriuretic peptides, may signal a new hope on the horizon for patients with ADHF.