Contemporary challenges in the management of advanced heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a public health concern with an immense effect on the utilization of precious and finite health care resources. More than 23 million people worldwide have been affected by symptoms of HF (1). The equivocal criteria for diagnosing HF have led to variable projections of its true incidence, but its impact and frequency grant it the status of a modern-day epidemic (1). Its prevalence continues to follow an upward trend, as it parallels the economic growth and progressive aging of a community. The syndrome of HF is multifaceted in origin, and encompasses a wide range of underlying clinical entities that all result in pronounced morbidity and mortality.