Dyspnea Worsens in 1 in 3 Patients Following Discharge from HF Hospitalization
Research presented at the 2026 Heart Failure Society of America meeting indicates that over one-third of patients experience persistent or worsening shortness of breath after being discharged from heart failure hospitalization. The study highlights the critical need for monitoring dyspnea as a primary indicator of patient recovery.
Why it matters
Understanding post-discharge symptom patterns is vital for improving clinical outcomes and reducing readmission rates for heart failure patients.
Although dyspnea generally improves in patients after heart failure (HF) hospitalization, symptoms can remain persistent or worsen in >1/3 of all cases, according to data from the BIOMES-HF study.1
Quin Denfeld, PhD, associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University, presented these data at the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Annual Scientific Meeting 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona, by Quin Denfeld, PhD, associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University. In an interview with HCPLive, Denfeld discussed the implications of her research and why these symptoms are critically important.1
“The cardinal symptom of heart failure is dyspnea, or shortness of breath. That’s what brings people into the hospital,” Denfeld told HCPLive. “We wanted to see, after that hospitalization, how did these patients fare afterwards in terms of their dyspnea? Did it go up? Did it go down? Did it stay the same?”
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