[Real-world experience with early use of vericiguat in worsening heart failure].

Abstract

Background: Despite guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), a residual risk of adverse outcomes persists, particularly after worsening heart failure (WHF). The VICTORIA trial demonstrated the benefit of adding vericiguat in high-risk patients. However, its real-world adoption in Italy remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the use, safety, and prescription patterns of vericiguat in Italian patients with recent WHF.

Methods: The multicenter VeriChange survey was conducted across 28 hospitals in Northern Italy. A total of 399 anonymized clinical records of HFrEF patients with recent WHF were collected. The survey included demographic, clinical, therapeutic data and safety outcomes.

Results: Overall, 68% of patients were classified as NYHA III-IV and 77% had a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%. Vericiguat was initiated after the first WHF episode in 54% of cases, and during hospitalization in 50%. The target dose of 10 mg/day was reached in 56% of patients. Tolerability was high, with only 3% treatment discontinuation. Prescription occurred in a context of strong adherence to guideline-based therapy.

Conclusions: Vericiguat was introduced early and safely in Italian real-world practice, especially in tertiary and referral centers. Broader implementation and earlier WHF recognition are still needed to reduce residual risk in advanced heart failure patients.