Impact of echocardiography in patients hospitalized for heart failure: A prospective observational study

Heart Failure With Improved Ejection Fraction: Prevalence, Predictors, and Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy

Recently, a new category of heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) has emerged in the classification system. This is defined as the subgroup of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) whose left ventricular ejection fraction has recovered partially or completely, with no specific cut-off values established yet in the guidelines. In our review, we aim to provide an overview of prevalence, predictors, mechanism of remodeling, and management strategies regarding HFimpEF. These patients constitute a sizeable cohort among patients with reduced ejection fraction. Certain patient characteristics including younger age and female gender, absence of comorbid conditions, low levels of biomarkers, and non-ischemic etiology were identified as positive predictors. The heart undergoes significant maladaptive changes post failure leading to adverse remodeling influenced etiology and duration. Goal-directed medical therapy including beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) have notably improved cardiac function by inducing reverse remodeling. Despite a more favorable prognosis compared to HFrEF, patients with improved ejection fraction (EF) still face clinical events and reduced quality of life, and remain at risk of adverse outcomes. Although the evidence is scarce, it is advisable to continue treatment modalities despite improvement in EF, including device therapies, to prevent relapse and clinical deterioration. It is imperative to conduct further research to understand the mechanism leading to EF amelioration and establish guidelines to identify and direct management strategies.

Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: The Role of Cardiovascular and Lung Ultrasound beyond Ejection Fraction

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is considered a major health care problem with frequent decompensations, high hospitalization and mortality rates. In severe heart failure (HF), the symptoms are refractory to medical treatment and require advanced therapeutic strategies. Early recognition of HF sub- and decompensation is the cornerstone of the timely treatment intensification and, therefore, improvement in the prognosis. Echocardiography is the gold standard for the assessment of systolic and diastolic functions. It allows one to obtain accurate and non-invasive measurements of the ventricular function in HF. In severely compromised HF patients, advanced cardiovascular ultrasound modalities may provide a better assessment of intracardiac hemodynamic changes and subclinical congestion. Particularly, cardiovascular and lung ultrasound allow us to make a more accurate diagnosis of subclinical congestion in HFrEF. The aim of this review was to summarize the advantages and limitations of the currently available ultrasound modalities in the ambulatory monitoring of patients with HFrEF.

Novel Oxidative Stress Biomarkers with Risk Prognosis Values in Heart Failure

Oxidative stress (OS) is mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), which in cardiovascular and other disease states, damage DNA, lipids, proteins, other cellular and extra-cellular components. OS is both initiated by, and triggers inflammation, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, matrix remodeling, myocardial fibrosis, and neurohumoral activation. These have been linked to the development of heart failure (HF). Circulating biomarkers generated by OS offer potential utility in patient management and therapeutic targeting. Novel OS-related biomarkers such as NADPH oxidases (sNox2-dp, Nrf2), advanced glycation end-products (AGE), and myeloperoxidase (MPO), are signaling molecules reflecting pathobiological changes in HF. This review aims to evaluate current OS-related biomarkers and their associations with clinical outcomes and to highlight those with greatest promise in diagnosis, risk stratification and therapeutic targeting in HF.

Heat Vulnerability Index Mapping: A Case Study of a Medium-Sized City (Amiens)

Urbanization, anthropogenic activities, and social determinants such as poverty and literacy rate greatly contribute to heat-related mortalities. The 2003 strong heat wave (Lucifer) in France resulted in catastrophic health consequences in the region that may be attributed to urbanization and other anthropogenic activities. Amiens is a medium-sized French city, where the average temperature has increased since the year 2000. In this study, we evaluated the Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) in Amiens for extreme heat days recorded during three years (2018–2020). We used the principal component analysis (PCA) technique for fine-scale vulnerability mapping. The main types of considered data included (a) socioeconomic and demographic data, (b) air pollution, (c) land use and cover, (d) elderly heat illness, (e) social vulnerability, and (f) remote sensing data (land surface temperature (LST), mean elevation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and normalized difference water index (NDWI)). The output maps identified the hot zones through comprehensive GIS analysis. The resultant maps showed that high HVI exists in three typical areas: (1) areas with dense population and low vegetation, (2) areas with artificial surfaces (built-up areas), and (3) industrial zones. Low-HVI areas are in natural landscapes such as rivers and grasslands. Our analysis can be implemented in other cities to highlight areas at high risk of extreme heat and air pollution.

2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The "2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure" replaces the "2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure" and the "2017 ACC/AHA/HFSA Focused Update of the 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure." The 2022 guideline is intended to provide patient-centric recommendations for clinicians to prevent, diagnose, and manage patients with heart failure.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from May 2020 to December 2020, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other relevant databases. Additional relevant clinical trials and research studies, published through September 2021, were also considered. This guideline was harmonized with other American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines published through December 2021. Structure: Heart failure remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The 2022 heart failure guideline provides recommendations based on contemporary evidence for the treatment of these patients. The recommendations present an evidence-based approach to managing patients with heart failure, with the intent to improve quality of care and align with patients' interests. Many recommendations from the earlier heart failure guidelines have been updated with new evidence, and new recommendations have been created when supported by published data. Value statements are provided for certain treatments with high-quality published economic analyses.

2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure

AIM

The "2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure" replaces the "2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure" and the "2017 ACC/AHA/HFSA Focused Update of the 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure." The 2022 guideline is intended to provide patient-centric recommendations for clinicians to prevent, diagnose, and manage patients with heart failure.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from May 2020 to December 2020, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other relevant databases. Additional relevant clinical trials and research studies, published through September 2021, were also considered. This guideline was harmonized with other American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines published through December 2021.

STRUCTURE

Heart failure remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The 2022 heart failure guideline provides recommendations based on contemporary evidence for the treatment of these patients. The recommendations present an evidence-based approach to managing patients with heart failure, with the intent to improve quality of care and align with patients' interests. Many recommendations from the earlier heart failure guidelines have been updated with new evidence, and new recommendations have been created when supported by published data. Value statements are provided for certain treatments with high-quality published economic analyses.

Regulatory Relationships of Demographic, Clinical Characteristics and Quality of Care for Heart Failure Patients in Southern China

BACKGROUND

Quality of care for Chinese patients with heart failure was substandard. It is of utmost value to ascertain the characteristics related to quality of care to narrow the gap.

METHODS

Data from 2,064 heart failure patients between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2015 at a hospital in Fujian Province were analyzed. Bayesian Network was used to assess the regulatory relationships between demographic, clinical characteristics and compliance with quality indicators.

RESULTS

The compliance with quality indicators ranged from 42.5% to 90.2%. The compliance with recommended doses for medications all reached or was close to 100% except indapamide. In Bayesian network, residence place, hypertension, troponin, B-type natriuretic peptide, heart rate, lung disease, number of emergency treatment, ejection fraction directly regulated the compliance and gender, age, medical payment method, myocardiopathy, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia had indirectly effect. The lower compliance was found in patients under emergency treatment, patients with abnormal testing indicators, patients without specific comorbidities and patients with NRCMS or self-paying. Patients with lung disease and those who lived in urban area had longer length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS

The compliance with medication indicators for heart failure were suboptimal, but recommended doses were prescribed in patients who received medications. A series of strategies should be developed to improve the quality of care, such as expanding the scope and depth of knowledge of guidelines and clinical pathway, integrating the reminder and quality assessment model into hospital medical record information system, paying more attention to vulnerable population and improving the medical security system.

Association between compliance with quality indicators and hospitalisation expenses in patients with heart failure: a retrospective study using quantile regression model in China

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association between compliance with quality indicators and hospitalisation expenses in patients with heart failure.

DESIGN

Generalised linear model and quantile regression model were used to examine the association between compliance with five quality indicators and hospitalisation expenses.

SETTING

Grade A hospital in Fujian Province, China.

PARTICIPANTS

Data on 2568 heart failure admissions between 2010 and 2015 were analysed.

RESULTS

The median (IQR) of hospitalisation expenses of 2568 patients was ¥10.9 (¥6.9-¥31.6) thousand. The rates of compliance with five quality indicators were 90.3% for evaluation of left ventricular function, 43.8% for diuretics, 62.0% for ACE inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), 67.4% for beta-blockers, and 58.9% for aldosterone receptor antagonists. After adjustment for gender, age, residence, method of payment, number of diseases before admission, number of diseases at admission, number of emergency treatments during hospital stay and length of stay, patients who received evaluation for left ventricular function, diuretics, or ACEI or ARB had lower hospitalisation expenses, and patients who received beta-blockers had higher hospitalisation expenses, compared with their counterparts in generalised linear models. Differences in hospitalisation expenses between compliance and non-compliance with quality indicators became larger across quantile levels of hospitalisation expenses, and were found to be statistically significant when quantile level exceeded 0.80 (¥39.7 thousand) in quantile regression models.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of care for patients with heart failure was below the target level. There was a negative relationship between compliance with quality indicators and hospitalisation expenses at the extreme quantile of expenses. More attention should be given to patients who may experience extreme expenses, and effective measures should be taken to improve the quality of care they receive.

The role of M-mode echocardiography in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction: A prospective cohort study

Epicardial movement during diastole is inversely proportional to myocardial stiffness but systolic regional thickening cannot precisely identify ischemic territories. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that a correlation may be present between M-mode echocardiography parameters and poor outcomes in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction. Patients with known cardiovascular disease were included in the test group (n=1,244) and patients without known cardiovascular disease were included in the control group (n=1,952). Patient records of routine measurements, M-mode echocardiography and mortality were collected. The control population and test population had the same left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (P=0.062) and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (P=0.053). A lower mitral flow velocity (P<0.05), higher Tei index (P<0.0001) and reduced distribution of diastolic wall strain (P<0.0001) were reported in the test populations compared with the control population. Patients of the test population with lower diastolic wall strain (<0.28) demonstrated a higher mortality rate than those with higher diastolic wall strain (≥0.28; P<0.0001) at the 3-year follow-up. M-mode echocardiographic parameters may be of use for predicting poor outcomes in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction.

Prognostic Value of Left Atrial Functional Measures in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of LA functional measures in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the prognostic value of left atrial (LA) functional measures such as the left atrial emptying fraction (LAEF) and the minimal LA volume compared with left atrial volume index (LAVI) in HFrEF patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 818 HFrEF patients with left ventricular ejection fractions <45% underwent echocardiography. LA volumes were determined by the area-length method from the apical 2-chamber and apical 4-chamber views. LAEF, minimal LA volume indexed to body surface area (MinLAVI), and LAVI were calculated. The end point was all-cause mortality. During a median follow-up of 3.3 years (interquartile range 1.8-4.6 years), 121 patients died (14.8%). Follow-up was 100%. In a final multivariable model adjusting for clinical and echocardiographic parameters, LAEF, but not MinLAVI or LAVI, was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in HFrEF patients: LAEF: hazard ratio (HR) 1.11 (P = .033) per 5% decrease; MinLAVI: HR 1.03 (P = .57) per 5 mL/m² increase; LAVI: HR 1.06 (P = .16) per 5 mL/m² increase.

CONCLUSIONS

LAEF is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in HFrEF patients after multivariable adjustment. LAEF provides incremental prognostic value over LAVI in risk stratification of HFrEF patients.

Comprehensive assessment of left ventricular myocardial function by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography

Background

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) results from the combined action of longitudinal and circumferential contraction, radial thickening, and basal and apical rotation. The study of these parameters together may lead to an accurate assessment of the cardiac function.

Methods

Ninety healthy volunteers, categorized by gender and age (≤ 55 and >  55 years), were evaluated using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Transversal views of the left ventricle (LV) were obtained to calculate circumferential strain and left ventricular twist, while three apical views were obtained to determine longitudinal strain (LS) and mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE). We established the integral myocardial function of the LV according to: 1. The Combined Deformation Parameter (CDP), which includes Deformation Product (DP) - Twist x LS (° x %) - and Deformation Index (DefI) -Twist / LS (° / %)-; and 2. the Torsion Index (TorI): Twist / MAPSE (° / cm).

Results

The mean age of our patients was 50.3 ± 11.1 years. CDP did not vary with gender or age. The average DP was − 432 ± 172 ° x %, and the average DefI was − 0.96 ± 0.36 ° / %. DP provides information about myocardial function (normal, pseudonormal, depressed), and the DefI quotient indicates which component (s) is/are affected in cases of abnormality. TorI was higher in volunteers over 55 years (16.5 ± 15.2 vs 13.1 ± 5.0 °/cm, p = 0.003), but did not vary with gender.

Conclusions

The proposed parameters integrate values of twisting and longitudinal shortening. They allow a complete physiological assessment of cardiac systolic function, and could be used for the early detection and characterization of its alteration.

Echo and heart failure: when do people need an echo, and when do they need natriuretic peptides?

Heart failure (HF) is a threat to public health. Heterogeneities in aetiology and phenotype complicate the diagnosis and management of HF. This is especially true when considering HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which makes up 50% of HF cases. Natriuretic peptides may aid in establishing a working diagnosis in patients suspected of HF, but echocardiography remains the optimal choice for diagnosing HF. Echocardiography provides important prognostic information in both HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HFpEF. Traditionally, emphasis has been put on the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). LVEF is useful for both diagnosis and prognosis in HFrEF. However, echocardiography offers more than this single parameter of systolic function, and for optimal risk assessment in HFrEF, an echocardiogram evaluating systolic, diastolic, left atrial and right ventricular function is beneficial. In this assessment echocardiographic modalities such as global longitudinal strain (GLS) by 2D speckle-tracking may be useful. LVEF offers little value in HFpEF and is neither helpful for diagnosis nor prognosis. Diastolic function quantified by E/e′ and systolic function determined by GLS offer prognostic insight in HFpEF. In HFpEF, other parameters of cardiac performance such as left atrial and right ventricular function evaluated by echocardiography also contribute with prognostic information. Hence, it is important to consider the entire echocardiogram and not focus solely on systolic function. Future research should focus on combining echocardiographic parameters into risk prediction models to adopt a more personalized approach to prognosis instead of identifying yet another echocardiographic biomarker.

Global longitudinal strain corrected by RR interval is a superior predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with systolic heart failure and atrial fibrillation

AIMS

Quantification of systolic function in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is challenging. A novel approach, based on RR interval correction, to counteract the varying heart cycle lengths in AF has recently been proposed. Whether this method is superior in patients with systolic heart failure (HFrEF) with AF remains unknown. This study investigates the prognostic value of RR interval-corrected peak global longitudinal strain {GLSc = GLS/[RR^(1/2)]} in relation to all-cause mortality in HFrEF patients displaying AF during echocardiographic examination.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Echocardiograms from 151 patients with HFrEF and AF during examination were analysed offline. Peak global longitudinal strain (GLS) was averaged from 18 myocardial segments obtained from three apical views. GLS was indexed with the square root of the RR interval {GLSc = GLS/[RR^(1/2)]}. Endpoint was all-cause mortality. During a median follow-up of 2.7 years, 40 patients (26.5%) died. Neither uncorrected GLS (P = 0.056) nor left ventricular ejection fraction (P = 0.053) was significantly associated with all-cause mortality. After RR^(1/2) indexation, GLSc became a significant predictor of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.22, P = 0.014, per %/s^(1/2) decrease). GLSc remained an independent predictor of mortality after multivariable adjustment (age, sex, mean heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure, left atrial volume index, and E/e') (hazard ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.31, P = 0.005 per %/s^(1/2) decrease).

CONCLUSIONS

Decreasing {GLSc = GLS/[RR^(1/2)]}, but not uncorrected GLS nor left ventricular ejection fraction, was significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality in HFrEF patients with AF and remained an independent predictor after multivariable adjustment.

Advances in Echocardiographic Imaging in Heart Failure With Reduced and Preserved Ejection Fraction

Echocardiography, given its safety, easy availability, and the ability to permit a comprehensive assessment of cardiac structure and function, is an indispensable tool in the evaluation and management of patients with heart failure (HF). From initial phenotyping and risk stratification to providing vital data for guiding therapeutic decision-making and monitoring, echocardiography plays a pivotal role in the care of HF patients. The recent advent of multiparametric approaches for myocardial deformation imaging has provided valuable insights in the pathogenesis of HF, elucidating distinct patterns of myocardial dysfunction and events that are associated with progression from subclinical stage to overt HF. At the same time, miniaturization of echocardiography has further expanded clinical application of echocardiography, with the use of pocket cardiac ultrasound as an adjunct to physical examination demonstrated to improve diagnostic accuracy and risk stratification. Furthermore, ongoing advances in the field of big data analytics promise to create an exciting opportunity to operationalize precision medicine as the new approach to healthcare delivery that aims to individualize patient care by integrating data extracted from clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic, and genetic assessments. The present review summarizes the recent advances in the field of echocardiography, with emphasis on their role in HF phenotyping, risk stratification, and optimizing clinical outcomes.

Global Longitudinal Strain Is a Superior Predictor of All-Cause Mortality in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of global longitudinal strain (GLS) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients in relation to all-cause mortality.

BACKGROUND

Measurement of myocardial deformation by 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography, specifically GLS, may be superior to conventional echocardiographic parameters, including left ventricular ejection fraction, in predicting all-cause mortality in HFrEF patients.

METHODS

Transthoracic echocardiographic examinations were retrieved for 1,065 HFrEF patients admitted to a heart failure clinic. The echocardiographic images were analyzed, and conventional and novel echocardiographic parameters were obtained.

RESULTS

Many of the conventional echocardiographic parameters proved to be predictors of mortality. However, GLS remained an independent predictor of mortality in the multivariable model after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, total cholesterol, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, ischemic cardiomyopathy, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus, and conventional echocardiographic parameters (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04 to 1.27; p = 0.008, per 1% decrease). No other echocardiographic parameter remained an independent predictor after adjusting for these variables. Furthermore, GLS had the highest C-statistics of all the echocardiographic parameters and added incremental prognostic value with a significant increase in the net reclassification improvement (p = 0.009). Atrial fibrillation (AF) modified the relationship between GLS and mortality (p value for interaction = 0.036); HR: 1.08 (95% CI: 0.97 to 1.19), p = 0.150 and HR: 1.22 (95% CI: 1.15 to 1.29), p < 0.001, per 1% decrease in GLS for patients with and without AF, respectively. Sex also modified the relationship between GLS and mortality (p value for interaction = 0.047); HR: 1.23 (95% CI: 1.16 to 1.30), p < 0.001 and HR: 1.09 (95% CI: 0.99 to 1.20), p = 0.083, per 1% decrease in GLS for men and women, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

GLS is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in HFrEF patients, especially in male patients without AF. Furthermore, GLS was a superior prognosticator compared with all other echocardiographic parameters.

Known and missing left ventricular ejection fraction and survival in patients with heart failure: a MAGGIC meta-analysis report

AIMS

Treatment of patients with heart failure (HF) relies on measurement of LVEF. However, the extent to which EF is recorded varies markedly. We sought to characterize the patient group that is missing a measure of EF, and to explore the association between missing EF and outcome.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Individual data on 30 445 patients from 28 observational studies in the Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) project were used to compare the prevalence of co-morbidities and outcome across three groups of HF patients: those with missing EF (HF-mEF), reduced EF (HF-REF), and preserved EF (HF-PEF). A total of 29% had HF-mEF, 52% HF-REF, and 19% HF-PEF. Compared with patients in whom EF was known, patients with HF-mEF were older, had a greater prevalence of COPD and previous stroke, and were smokers. Patients with HF-mEF were less likely to receive evidence-based treatment than those with HF-REF. Adjusted mortality in HF-mEF was similar to that in HF-REF and greater than that in HF-PEF at 3 years [HF-REF, hazard ratio (HR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95-1.12); HF-PEF, HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.71-0.86].

CONCLUSION

Missing EF is common. The short- and long-term outcome of patients with HF-mEF is poor and they exhibit different co-morbidity profiles and treatment patterns compared with patients with known EF. HF patients with missing EF represent a high risk group.

Methods used for the assessment of LV systolic function: common currency or tower of Babel?

The last decade has produced a proliferation of techniques for the assessment of left ventricular systolic function, and there now seems to be more choice than seems rational for the questions that we need answers to. In some instances, simple estimation is all that is required-the risk stratification process is inexact, as emphasised by the variety of modalities used to characterise ejection fraction (EF) in studies that validated the efficacy of treatments selected on the basis of EF. Nonetheless, while technical advances often cause disruption and confusion, it would be wrong to dismiss them as lacking benefit. The purpose of this review is to try to provide rational grounds for selecting both test modality and physiological parameter in various specific clinical situations.

Chronic heart failure: we are fighting the battle, but are we winning the war?

Heart failure represents an end-stage phenotype of a number of cardiovascular diseases and is generally associated with a poor prognosis. A number of organized battles fought over the last two to three decades have resulted in considerable advances in treatment including the use of drugs that interfere with neurohormonal activation and device-based therapies such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy. Despite this, the prevalence of heart failure continues to rise related to both the aging population and better survival in patients with cardiovascular disease. Registries have identified treatment gaps and variation in the application of evidenced-based practice, including the use of echocardiography and prescribing of disease-modifying drugs. Quality initiatives often coupled with multidisciplinary, heart failure disease management promote self-care and minimize variation in the application of evidenced-based practice leading to better long-term clinical outcomes. However, to address the rising prevalence of heart failure and win the war, we must also turn our attention to disease prevention. A combined approach is required that includes public health measures applied at a population level and screening strategies to identify individuals at high risk of developing heart failure in the future.

Patient characteristics from a regional multicenter database of acute decompensated heart failure in Asia Pacific (ADHERE International-Asia Pacific)

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalization. Although a number of multicenter international HF hospital registries have been published, there are limited data for the Asia Pacific region.

METHODS

ADHERE (ie, Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Registry) International-Asia Pacific is an electronic web-based observational database of 10,171 patients hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of HF from 8 Asia-Pacific countries between January 2006 and December 2008.

RESULTS

The median age (67 years) varied by more than 2 decades across the region. Fifty-seven percent of patients were male. Ninety percent of patients were Asian and 8.4% were white. Dyspnea was the presenting symptom in 95%, with 80% having documented rales. During the index hospitalization, left ventricular function was assessed in 50%, and intravenous therapies included diuretics (85%), vasodilators (14%), and positive inotropes (15%). In-hospital mortality was 4.8%. Discharge medications included angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and/or angiotensin receptor blockers (63%), β-blockers (41%), and aldosterone antagonists (31%).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with other multicenter registries, patients hospitalized with acute HF in the Asia Pacific region tend to present with more severe clinical symptoms and signs and are younger, especially in countries at an earlier stage in their epidemiological transition. Echocardiography and disease-modifying medications are used less often, highlighting potential opportunities to improve outcomes.