Post discharge management of heart failure patients: clinical findings at the first medical visit in a single-center study

BACKGROUND: The Post Discharge Management of patients with heart failure impact significantly their incomes. This study aims to analyze the clinical findings and management at the first medical visit of these patients in our context. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study on consecutive files of patients hospitalized for heart failure from January to December 2018 in our Department. We analyse data from the first post discharge medical visit including medical visit time, clinical conditions and management. RESULTS: Three hundred and eight patients (mean age: 53.4 ± 17.0 years, 60% males) were hospitalized on median duration of 4 days [1–22 days]. One hundred and fifty-three patients (49,67%) were presented at the first medical visit after 66.53 days[0.06–369] on average, 10 (3.24%) patients died before this first medical visit and 145 (47.07%) had been lost to follow-up. The re-hospitalization and treatment non-compliance rates were 9.4% and 3.6%, respectively. Male gender (p = 0.048), renal failure (p = 0.010), and Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) /direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) (p = 0.049) were the main lost to follow-up factors in univariate analysis without statistic signification in multivariate analysis. Hyponatremia (OR = 2.339; CI 95% = 0.908–6.027; p = 0.020) and atrial fibrillation (OR = 2.673; CI 95% = 1.321–5.408; p = 0.012) were the major mortality factors. CONCLUSION: The management of patients with heart failure after discharge from hospital seems to be insufficient and inadequate. A specialized unit is required to optimize this management.