scholarly journals Heart Failure in Family Medicine

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-24
Author(s):  
Siniša Franjić

Heart failure is a serious condition in which the amount of blood squeezed out of the heart every minute is insufficient to meet the body’s normal needs for oxygen and nutrients. Although some people wrongly believe that the term heart failure means that the heart has stopped, we must say that the term heart failure actually means that the heart has weakened and lost its ability to work. Heart failure has many causes including a many of diseases. Heart failure occurs most often in older people because they are much more likely to suffer from diseases that cause heart failure. Although heart failure gets worse over time, people with the condition can live for years.

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S194-S194
Author(s):  
Kexin Yu ◽  
Kexin Yu ◽  
Shinyi Wu ◽  
Iris Chi

Abstract Internet is increasingly popular among older adults and have changed interpersonal interactions. However, it remains controversial whether older people are more or less lonely with internet use. This paper tests the longitudinal association of internet use and loneliness among older people. One pathway that explains the association, the mediation effect of social contact, was examined. Data from the 2006, 2010 and 2014 waves of Health and Retirement Study was used. Hierarchical liner modeling results showed internet use was related to decreased loneliness over 12-year period of time (b=-0.044, p<.001). Internet use was associated with more social contact with family and friends overtime (b=0.261, p<.001), social contact was related to less perceived loneliness longitudinally (b=0.097, p<.001). The total effect of internet use on loneliness is -0.054 and the mediated effect is -0.025. The findings imply that online activities can be effective for reducing loneliness for older people through increased social contact.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Sjöland ◽  
Jonas Silverdal ◽  
Entela Bollano ◽  
Aldina Pivodic ◽  
Ulf Dahlström ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Temporal trends in clinical composition and outcome in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are largely unknown, despite considerable advances in heart failure management. We set out to study clinical characteristics and prognosis over time in DCM in Sweden during 2003–2015. Methods DCM patients (n = 7873) from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry were divided into three calendar periods of inclusion, 2003–2007 (Period 1, n = 2029), 2008–2011 (Period 2, n = 3363), 2012–2015 (Period 3, n = 2481). The primary outcome was the composite of all-cause death, transplantation and hospitalization during 1 year after inclusion into the registry. Results Over the three calendar periods patients were older (p = 0.022), the proportion of females increased (mean 22.5%, 26.4%, 27.6%, p = 0.0001), left ventricular ejection fraction was higher (p = 0.0014), and symptoms by New York Heart Association less severe (p < 0.0001). Device (implantable cardioverter defibrillator and/or cardiac resynchronization) therapy increased by 30% over time (mean 11.6%, 12.3%, 15.1%, p < 0.0001). The event rates for mortality, and hospitalization were consistently decreasing over calendar periods (p < 0.0001 for all), whereas transplantation rate was stable. More advanced physical symptoms correlated with an increased risk of a composite outcome over time (p = 0.0043). Conclusions From 2003 until 2015, we observed declining mortality and hospitalizations in DCM, paralleled by a continuous change in both demographic profile and therapy in the DCM population in Sweden, towards a less affected phenotype.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
X.T Cui ◽  
E Thunstrom ◽  
U Dahlstrom ◽  
J.M Zhou ◽  
J.B Ge ◽  
...  

Abstract Background It remains unclear whether the readmission of heart failure (HF) patients has decreased over time and how it differs among HF with preserved ejection fraction (EF) (HFpEF) versus reduced EF (HFrEF) and mid-range EF (HFmrEF). Methods We evaluated HF patients index hospitalized from January 2004 to December 2011 in the Swedish Heart Failure Registry with 1-year follow-up. Outcome measures were the first occurring all-cause, cardiovascular (CV) and HF readmissions. Results Totally 20,877 HF patients (11,064 HFrEF, 4,215 HFmrEF, 5,562 HFpEF) were included in the study. All-cause readmission was highest in patients with HFpEF, whereas CV and HF readmissions were highest in HFrEF. From 2004 to 2011, HF readmission rates within 6 months (from 22.3% to 17.3%, P=0.003) and 1 year (from 27.7% to 23.4%, P=0.019) in HFpEF declined, and the risk for 1-year HF readmission in HFpEF was reduced by 7% after adjusting for age and sex (P=0.022). Likewise, risk factors for HF readmission in HFpEF changed. However, no significant changes in cause-specific readmissions were observed in HFrEF. Time to the first readmission did not change significantly from 2004 to 2011, regardless of EF subgroup (all P-values&gt;0.05). Conclusions Although the burden of all-cause readmission remained highest in HFpEF versus HFrEF and HFmrEF, a declining temporal trend in 6-month and 1-year HF readmission rates was found in patients with HFpEF, suggesting that non-HF-related readmission represents a big challenge for clinical practice. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): The SwedeHF was funded by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ofir Koren ◽  
Asaf Israeli ◽  
Ehud Rozner ◽  
Nassem Darawshy ◽  
Yoav Turgeman

Abstract Background The prevalence of Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis (MS) has significantly changed over the last decades. We intend to examine patient demographics, Echocardiographic characteristics, procedural success rates, and complications throughout 30-years. Methods We conducted a single-center descriptive observational study. The study population consists of patients undergone percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV) at Emek Medical Center in Israel from January 1990 to May 2019. Results Four hundred seventeen patients underwent PBMV during the study period and were eligible for the study. Age did not change significantly over time (p = 0.09). The prevalence of Male and patients who were smoking and had multiple comorbidities such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, ischemic heart disease, and chronic kidney disease became increases over time (p = 0.02, p = 0.02, p = 0.001, p = 0.01, p = 0.02, and p = 0.001, respectively). Wilkins score and all its components increased over time, and the total score was higher in females (p = 0.01). Seventy-nine (18.9%) patients had complications. The rate of complications did not change over decades. Patients with Wilkins score > 8, post-procedural MR of ≥2, and post-procedural MVA < 1.5 had the highest risk for the need of Mitral valve replacement (MVR) surgery in 2 years following PBMV (3.64, 4.03, 2.44, respectively, CI 95%, p < .0001 for all). The median time in these patients was 630 days compared to 4–5 years in the entire population. Patients with Post-procedural MR of ≥2 and post-procedural MVA < 1.5 had ten times risk for developing heart failure (HR 9.07 and 10.06, respectively, CI 95%, P < .0001). Conclusion Our research reveals trends over time in patients’ characteristics and echocardiographic features. Our study population consists of more male patients with multiple comorbidities and more complex and calcified valvular structures in the last decade. Wilkins score > 8, post-procedural MR of ≥2, and post-procedural MVA < 1.5 cm2 were in-depended predictors for the time for surgery and heart failure hospitalization.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 931-938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattias Skielta ◽  
Lars Söderström ◽  
Solbritt Rantapää-Dahlqvist ◽  
Solveig W Jonsson ◽  
Thomas Mooe

Aims: Rheumatoid arthritis may influence the outcome after an acute myocardial infarction. We aimed to compare trends in one-year mortality, co-morbidities and treatments after a first acute myocardial infarction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis versus non-rheumatoid arthritis patients during 1998–2013. Furthermore, we wanted to identify characteristics associated with mortality. Methods and results: Data for 245,377 patients with a first acute myocardial infarction were drawn from the Swedish Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive Care Admissions for 1998–2013. In total, 4268 patients were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to study mortality trends over time and multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to identify variables associated with mortality. The one-year mortality in rheumatoid arthritis patients was initially lower compared to non-rheumatoid arthritis patients (14.7% versus 19.7%) but thereafter increased above that in non-rheumatoid arthritis patients (17.1% versus 13.5%). In rheumatoid arthritis patients the mean age at admission and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation increased over time. Congestive heart failure decreased more in non-rheumatoid arthritis than in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, kidney failure, rheumatoid arthritis, prior diabetes mellitus and hypertension were associated with significantly higher one-year mortality during the study period 1998–2013. Conclusions: The decrease in one-year mortality after acute myocardial infarction in non-rheumatoid arthritis patients was not applicable to rheumatoid arthritis patients. This could partly be explained by an increased age at acute myocardial infarction onset and unfavourable trends with increased atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis per se was associated with a significantly worse prognosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Zingmark ◽  
Fredrik Norström

Abstract Background Knowledge is scarce on how needs for home help and special housing evolve among older people who begin to receive support from municipal social care. The purpose of this study was to describe baseline distributions and transitions over time between levels of dependency among older persons after being granted social care in a Swedish municipality. Methods Based on a longitudinal cohort study in a Swedish municipality, data was collected retrospectively from municipal records. All persons 65 years or older who received their first decision on social care during 2010 (n = 415) were categorized as being in mild, moderate, severe, or total dependency, and were observed until the end of 2013. Baseline distributions and transitions over time were described descriptively and analysed with survival analysis, with the Kaplan-Meier estimator, over the entire follow-up period. To test potential differences in relation to gender, we used the Cox-Proportional hazards model. Results Baseline distributions between mild, moderate, severe, and total dependency were 53, 16, 24, and 7.7%. During the first year, between 40 and 63% remained at their initial level of dependency. Among those with mild and moderate levels of dependency at baseline, a large proportion declined towards increasing levels of dependency over time; around 40% had increased their dependency level 1 year from baseline and at the end of the follow-up, 75% had increased their dependency level or died. Conclusions Older people in Sweden being allocated home help are at high risk for decline towards higher levels of dependency, especially those at mild or moderate dependency levels at baseline. Taken together, it is important that municipalities make use of existing knowledge so that they implement cost-effective preventative interventions for older people at an early stage before a decline toward increasing levels of dependency.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Koohi ◽  
Davood Khalili ◽  
Mohammad Ali Mansournia ◽  
Farzad Hadaegh ◽  
Hamid Soori

Abstract Background Understanding the distinct patterns (trajectories) of variation in blood lipid levels before diagnosing cardiovascular disease (CVD) might carry important implications for improving disease prevention or treatment. Methods We investigated 14,373 participants (45.5% men) aged 45–84 from two large US prospective cohort studies with a median of 23 years follow-up. First, we jointly estimated developmental trajectories of lipid indices, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) concentrations using group-based multi-trajectory modeling. Then, the association of identified multi-trajectories with incident CVD, heart failure, and all-cause mortality were examined using Cox proportional hazard model. Results Seven distinct multi-trajectories were identified. The majority of participants (approximately 80%) exhibited decreasing LDL-C but rising TG levels and relatively stable HDL-C levels. Compared to the individuals with healthy and stable LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG levels, those in other groups were at significant risk of incident CVD after adjusting for other conventional risk factors. Individuals with the highest but decreasing LDL-C and borderline high and rising TG levels over time were at the highest risk than those in other groups with a 2.22-fold risk of CVD. Also, those with the highest and increased triglyceride levels over time, over optimal and decreasing LDL-C levels, and the lowest HDL-C profile had a nearly 1.84 times CVD risk. Even individuals in the multi-trajectory group with the highest HDL-C, optimal LDL-C, and optimal TG levels had a significant risk (HR, 1.45; 95% CI 1.02–2.08). Furthermore, only those with the highest HDL-C profile increased the risk of heart failure by 1.5-fold (95% CI 1.07–2.06). Conclusions The trajectories and risk of CVD identified in this study demonstrated that despite a decline in LDL-C over time, a significant amount of residual risk for CVD remains. These findings suggest the impact of the increasing trend of TG on CVD risk and emphasize the importance of assessing the lipid levels at each visit and undertaking potential interventions that lower triglyceride concentrations to reduce the residual risk of CVD, even among those with the optimal LDL-C level.


Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne W Stevenson ◽  
Yong K Cho ◽  
J. T Heywood ◽  
Robert C Bourge ◽  
William T Abraham ◽  
...  

Introduction : Elevated filling pressures are a hallmark of chronic heart failure. They can be reduced acutely during HF hospitalization but the hemodynamic impact of ongoing therapy to maintain optivolemia has not been established. Methods and Results : After recent HF hospitalization, 274 NYHA Class III or IV HF patients were enrolled in the COMPASS-HF study at 28 experienced HF centers and received intense HF management (average 24.7 staff contacts/ 6 months) ± access to filling pressure information to adjust diuretics to maintain optivolemia, usually defined as estimated pulmonary artery diastolic (PAD) pressure of 12±4 mmHg. Filling pressure information was available for half the patients during the first 6 months (the Chronicle group, <Access), and for all patients during the next 6 months. Diuretics were adjusted 12.7 times per patient in the Chronicle group and 8.2 times per patient in the Control (-Access) group during the first 6 months (p = 0.0001). Compared to baseline, decreases in RV systolic pressure (RVSP) and ePAD were significant for the +Access patients by one year (p=0.0012 and p =.04, respectively). The Control patients exhibited a similar trend 6 months after crossing to +Access (figure ). Conclusions: Targeted therapeutic adjustments, based on continuous filling pressures along with intensification of HF management contacts, are associated with a reduction in chronic left-sided filling pressures and right ventricular load.


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