Background: Several studies have shown improvement of prognosis in patients managed in heart failure (HF) clinics. However, the value of the individual management components is not well established.
Aim: To assess the prognostic value of pharmacological treatment and patient's knowledge in patients receiving care in a HF clinic.
Methods and results: In our prospective cohort study we followed 115 patients (50 from an HF clinic and 65 receiving usual care) for at least 12 months. Knowledge was assessed using a Patient Knowledge Questionnaire (PKQ). During a median follow-up of 561 days, fewer patients from the HF clinic died or were rehospitalized due to HF than those receiving usual care (42% vs. 65%, p = 0.016). The prescription rates of ACE inhibitors (94% to 98%) and beta blockers (40% to 94%) increased in the patients from the HF clinic. In these patients the PKQ score also increased from 4.8 (1.5) to 7.9 (1.3), p<0.001. In the Cox proportional hazard model, treatment with beta blockers at > or = 50% of the target daily dose (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.3, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.10-0.95) and a PKQ score <7 (HR 3.92, 95% CI 1.39-11.03) predicted prognosis in the patients from the HF clinic.
Conclusions: Patient management in the HF clinic reduced the incidence of death or of HF rehospitalization. Poor prognosis of patients receiving care in the HF clinic was predicted by poor patient knowledge and underdosing with beta blockers.