Advances in heart failure: Minnesota's role in the NHLBI's Heart Failure Network.

Heart failure is a condition that affects nearly 5 million people in the United States and costs the nation an estimated $35 billion a year. Although common, the condition presents treating clinicians with real challenges. There currently are few effective therapies for people with acute decompensated disease. As part of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute-funded Heart Failure Network, Minnesota researchers are attempting to change this. This article describes the work of the Heart Failure Network and several Minnesota-designed protocols that are being tested, including one that's looking at 2 different treatment strategies for patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure who go on to develop poor renal function and another that will evaluate the use of sildenafil (Viagra) for patients with heart failure and preserved left ventricular systolic function.