Interventional Heart Failure Training Pathways Addressed in JSCAI

February 24, 2025—The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) recently announced the publication of a comprehensive review article highlighting and addressing training gaps to advance the specialty of interventional heart failure (IHF) and enable future trainees to drive innovation and improve outcomes for patients with complex HF.

“Charting the Course for Careers in Interventional Heart Failure: Training, Challenges, Future Directions,” by Richard Cheng, MD, et al was published online in JSCAI and highlighted at THT 2025, the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics conference held February 11-13 in Boston, Massachusetts, noted the society announcement.

According to SCAI, the article proposes a consensus on the range of career phenotypes within IHF, proposes five core training focuses, and outlines the essential competencies and components needed for effective training in IHF.

The initiative aims to standardize the training process across the country, ensuring that future specialists are fully equipped to manage the unique challenges posed by advanced HF, stated SCAI.

“Parallel to advances in pharmacological therapies for HF, there have been rapid advancements in device-based therapies,” commented Dr. Cheng in the SCAI press release. “The intersection of heart failure and interventional cardiology has grown rapidly. Yet, there has been no formalized training pathway or clear consensus on what a career in this field should look like.”

Dr. Cheng continued, “Having specialists who not only understand HF but are also adept in interventional techniques is paramount to meeting the growing needs of our patients with HF. This article is a pivotal step toward establishing clear career paths, delineating competencies, and developing standardized training pathways essential for our specialty to thrive.”

Dr. Cheng is Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.