Managing patients with heart failure: contemporary real-world experience

OBJECTIVE: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic disease with growing numbers of patients and a significant compromise in quality of life and high mortality. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the current practices in managing patients with HF among patients admitted to the hospital and discharged with a primary diagnosis of HF and patients managed in the heart function clinic. RESULTS: This study is a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to the hospital and discharged with a primary diagnosis of HF. A total of 448 patient charts were reviewed, of which 173 patients were in the hospital group and 275 patients in the Clinic group. 278 (62.1%) were men, and 170 (37.9%) were women. The Clinic group of patients were significantly received guideline-directed medical therapy (Beta-blockers, Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, Angiotensin receptor blockers, Diuretics, Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists—p < 0.001). The Clinic group of patients (17.1%) were significantly less re-hospitalized (p < 0.001) compared to the Hospital group (28%) at 180 days. Physician led multidisciplinary Heart function clinics have better adherence to guideline directed medical therapy and significantly lower rates of re-hospitalization thereby providing cost effective heart failure management with usual care.