Effective Management of Patients with Heart Failure During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Updates and Key Considerations for the Nurse Practitioner.

Target Audience
This educational initiative has been designed for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physicians who practice in primary care and specialty settings.

Program Overview
The burdens associated with heart failure (HF) are substantial, with significant impacts to morbidity, mortality, and health-related quality of life. Despite these burdens, recent data indicate that adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) remains suboptimal among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), an issue which has been further complicated by the ongoing chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there was concern early on surrounding the role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the spread of SARS-CoV-2, recent evidence from large retrospective studies suggests that the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) is not associated with increased rates of COVID-19 infection or risk of severe disease.

To ensure patients with HF receive the best standards of care during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians must be educated on the risks of severe illness from COVID-19 in patients with CV comorbidities, up-to-date GDMT on the management of HF, particularly the importance of maintaining ACE inhibitor and ARB therapy, and the role of telemedicine in providing best standards of care under the current social distancing mandates.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

Discuss the safety of RAAS antagonist use in patients with CV and related comorbidities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
Outline how to apply evidence-based GDMT into the management of patients with HF
Explain the burden of COVID-19 on patients with CV and related comorbidities
Discuss how to integrate telemedicine initiatives into the effective management of patients with HF