Key result
Established and novel biomarkers show potential to improve HF management in sub-Saharan Africa.
Why the study?
Heart failure diagnosis and progression involve complex pathophysiological mechanisms, making it imperative to identify patients at different stages of the continuum to improve risk stratification and initiate optimal management strategies.
This review outlines the current and future landscape of biomarker use for heart failure management, with a specific focus on the challenges and opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa.
Biomarker strategies for HF merit cautious exploration in sub-Saharan Africa; leaves open the need for prospective validation before clinical adoption.
Heart failure is a clinical syndrome resulting from various cardiovascular diseases of different aetiologies and pathophysiology. These varying pathologies involve several complex mechanisms that lead to the activation of the neurohumoral system, inflammation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, fibrosis, and eventually adverse cardiac remodelling associated with a progressive decline in cardiac function. Once a diagnosis is made, the cardiac function has a gradual decline characterised by multiple hospital admissions. It is therefore imperative to identify patients at different stages of the heart failure continuum to better risk stratify and initiate optimal management strategies. Biomarkers may play a role in the diagnosis, prognostication, and monitoring response to treatment. This review discusses the epidemiology of heart failure and biomarkers commonly used in clinical practice such as natriuretic peptides and cardiac troponins. In addition, we provide a brief overview of novel biomarkers and genetic coding and non-coding biomarkers used in the management of patients with heart failure. We also discuss barriers that hinder the clinical application of novel biomarkers. Finally, we appraise the value of polygenic risk scoring, focusing on sub-Saharan Africa.
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Badianyama et al. (2022) conducted a review in Heart failure. Biomarkers was evaluated. Established and novel biomarkers, including genetic markers, offer potential for improving heart failure diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment optimization, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
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