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Robert John Mentz

Associate Professor of Medicine
Medicine, Cardiology
NP-8062, DCRI. PO Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715
NP-8062, DCRI. PO Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715

Overview


I am a cardiologist with a clinical and research interest in heart failure (going from Failure to Function), including advanced therapies such as cardiac transplantation and mechanical assist devices or “heart pumps."

I serve our group as Chief of the Heart Failure Section.

I became a heart failure cardiologist in order to help patients manage their chronic disease over many months and years. I consider myself strongly committed to compassionate patient care with a focus on quality of life and patient preference.

I am the Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Cardiac Failure - The official journal of the Heart Failure Society of America.

My research interests are focused on treating co-morbid diseases in heart failure patients and improving outcomes across the cardiovascular spectrum through clinical trials and outcomes research. Below, you will find my specific research interests:

  •     Cardiometabolic disease
  •     Co-morbidity characterization (diabetes, sleep apnea, renal failure) in heart failure
  •     Phenotypic characterization and risk prognostication of patients with heart failure
  •     Role of surrogate and nonfatal endpoints in clinical heart failure trials
  •     Biomarkers in heart failure
  •     Novel pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to heart failure
  •     Improving site-based heart failure research

I am a leading clinical trialist in both traditional and pragmatic studies having served as a trial leader for HEART-FID, TRANSFORM-HF and PARAGLIDE-HF. 

I serve as a Co-PI for the FDA’s Research Triangle CERSI (Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation).

Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor of Medicine · 2023 - Present Medicine, Cardiology, Medicine
Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences · 2020 - Present Population Health Sciences, Basic Science Departments
Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute · 2014 - Present Duke Clinical Research Institute, Institutes and Centers

Recent News Items


Published March 29, 2024
We Love Eggs, But Want Healthy Cholesterol
Published August 28, 2023
Intravenous Iron Treatment May Benefit Heart Patients
Published July 14, 2022
Duke-UNC Health Project Wins 3rd Place in American Heart Association Heart Failure Data Challenge

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Recent Scholarly Works


Serial assessment of NT-proBNP and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist therapy in type 2 diabetes: Insights from EXSCEL.

Journal article Am Heart J · September 2026 BACKGROUND: In the EXSCEL trial, exenatide did not reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), but heterogeneity of benefit and the role of cardiac biomarkers remain uncertain. We evaluated the prognostic value of baseline and 1-year changes in N-te ... Full text Link to item Cite

Lost to Follow-Up in Pragmatic Trials With Remote Follow-Up: Insights From CONNECT-HF and TRANSFORM-HF.

Journal article J Am Heart Assoc · August 4, 2026 BACKGROUND: Pragmatic trials commonly use remote follow-up to reduce participant burden and costs. However, these approaches may increase the risk of lost to follow-up (LTFU). We identified patient- and site-level factors associated with LTFU in 2 large, p ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cardiovascular Multimorbidity and Associated Mortality Among Medicare Beneficiaries Dually Eligible for Medicaid.

Journal article J Am Heart Assoc · August 4, 2026 BACKGROUND: Patients dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid have higher mortality rates and disparate outcomes for acute cardiovascular conditions compared with those eligible for Medicare alone. However, the association between dual eligibility, cardio ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Safety and Efficacy of the Alleviant No-Implant Interatrial Shunt in Patients with Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alleviant Medical, Inc. · 2025 - 2032

Research Triangle Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2023 - 2028

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Education


Emory University · 2003 M.D.