NCT00141856: Health E Heart: telephone support for heart failure

Health E Heart tested a risk-stratified telephone disease-management program for VA patients with heart failure. The original report included 458 participants, with a one-year intervention and follow-up period. The authors described randomization, but allocation used the last digit of the patient’s Social Security number, an important design limitation. 1 2

After one year, the intervention showed no significant clinical-outcome or survival advantage. Participants reported better adherence to weight monitoring and exercise recommendations. Heart-failure-related costs were higher in the intervention group; overall costs were also higher when program costs were included. 2

The study therefore distinguishes improved self-management behavior from proven clinical benefit. It does not establish that all telehealth models are ineffective: this was one variable-intensity program in a predominantly male, older VA population. 2

Sources

1. ClinicalTrials.gov — ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT00141856. Original study registration: sponsor, design, population, endpoints and dated history.Original study registration · Original record checked against the registry API. Checked 2026-10-10. Registration and current registry fields do not by themselves establish efficacy. Historical details in the article retain their stated date. Supplied note: ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT00141856. Original study registration: sponsor, design, population, endpoints and dated history.

2. Original full-text report: Copeland et al., 2010 — Original full-text report: Copeland et al., 2010Cited supporting source · Link and description preserved from supplied research. Checked in supplied research dated 2026-10-10. Source description comes from supplied research; underlying page was not independently re-read for this update.