Heart Failure Study: The Atlanta Cardiomyopathy Consortium (TACC)

In this study information will be collected on patients with heart failure and their progress and outcomes will be followed over time. The aim is to understand the natural history, risk factors for improvement or progression, and determinants of response to therapy for heart failure. Of interest are many aspects of heart failure including genetic influences, quality of life issues, how individuals cope with feelings about having heart disease, and how they manage their day-to-day symptoms etc.. A database will be created of approximately 1,000 heart failure patients from Emory, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Wesley Woods, Grady, and the VA Medical Center.

This is strictly an observational study and subjects will not be receiving any experimental therapy nor will their routine medical care be affected in any way. Data to be collected includes:

1. Medical history of the patient
2. Medical history on the patient's family
3. Survey data including health behaviors & psychosocial variables
4. Blood & urine samples
5. EKG
6. Six minute Walk Test
7. Hand grip strength

After collecting data, a variety of statistical tests will be run to analyze factors that influence heart failure patients' responses to treatment. The results of this analysis will be used to optimize therapy for future heart failure patients.