Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Heart Failure Using a Swine Model

Abstract : Unlike every other form of heart disease, the prevalence and incidence of heart failure is still rising, and heart failure has become the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States (US) (1). Furthermore, heart failure is commonly associated with sudden death at any stage of the condition (2-22). Heart failure is a burden on the health care system with an incidence of 10 per 1,000 persons over the age of 65 in the US (23, 24). The US is also in a nursing shortage. It is estimated that by the year 2025, there will be a short fall of nearly 260,000 nurses (25). Nurses are the primary care givers in the US. The nursing shortage poses a threat to the quality of life for the heart failure patient. More research is needed to better understand heart failure so that care plans, mediations and/or devices can be refined to help streamline patient care.