What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 494 patients with heart failure. The study was sponsored by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was long-term safety (phase 4). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
Talk therapy patients spent 36% fewer days hospitalized and had 27% fewer emergency visits over one year.
JAMA network open · 2024 · NCT03688100
These findings — that talk therapy patients spent over a third less time hospitalized compared to medication — were published in the JAMA network open and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 494 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with heart failure, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
If you have heart failure and depression, you have two proven options: talk therapy or medication. Both work equally well for mood. But this study found that talk therapy led to fewer hospital stays and ER trips. Both treatments are FDA-approved and available now. Ask your doctor which fits your life better.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open heart failure trials
CardioPROTECTion with Dapagliflozin in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with AnthrAcycline - PROTECTAA TRIAL
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of dapagliflozin on the incidence of cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction in patients with breast cancer receiving anthracycline treatment.
Sodium/Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors (SGLT2i) Therapy in Duchenne Cardiomyopathy
This is a pharmacokinetic study (PK Study) to better understand empagliflozin dosing in pediatric Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. Empagliflozin is currently used off-label in this population due to the mortality benefits seen in adult cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Investigators will perform PK studies in DMD patients of various ages and weights to better understand the PK profile (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) and dosing to better treat Duchenne cardiomyopathy.