About 5.7 million people in the U.S. have heart failure according to a 2016 report by the American Heart Association. About half of these people have a condition called reduced ejection fraction, which is a weak heart muscle that does not eject the normal amount of blood in each heartbeat.

Heart failure results in a lower quality of life and frequent hospitalization, as well as 300,000 deaths a year. However, in some large clinical studies, certain medications have shown to help people with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction live longer and better lives. The American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and Heart Failure Society have put out guidelines on these medications to direct doctors.

A new study of 3,518 patients and 150 primary care and cardiology practices by UCLA looked into the patient prescriptions of three different heart failure medications. Unfortunately it was found that 27 percent to 67 percent of patients were not prescribed the recommended drugs.

Even when they were prescribed the drugs, many were given lower-than-recommended doses. Less than 25 percent of patients received all three-medication types, and only 1 percent received the target doses of all three medications.

The results suggest that use and dosing of heart failure medications has not improved over the past decade. New strategies are needed to help get patients the needed medications. This would help improve the care and outcomes for people with heart failure, leading to better quality of life.

You can read more here:

[Drugs for heart failure are still under-prescribed, years after initial study](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180802141752.htm)