[Heart failure patients in Primary Care: aging, comorbidities and polypharmacy]

Aten Primaria. 2011 Feb;43(2):61-7. doi: 10.1016/j.aprim.2010.03.021. Epub 2010 Dec 22.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Objective: To assess heart failure prevalence, epidemiology, co-morbidities and polypharmacy in our region from electronic patient records. To evaluate gender differences in heart failure patients.

Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study.

Setting: Primary care Lleida (Spain).

Participants: All patients from 21 primary care centers with the diagnosis of heart failure in medical records were included.

Main outcome measurements: Demographic data, comorbidities and therapeutical subgroups in patients with a diagnosis of heart failure in their clinical record.

Results: Heart failure was found in 0.99% (3017 from 306229 patients), of whom 59% were women, and a mean age of 80 years. Comorbidities: hypertension 67%, diabetes 30%, hyperlipidemia 26.5%, obesity 27%, ischemic heart disease 19%, stroke 11%, atrial fibrillation 31%, COPD 26%, renal failure 12%. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia and obesity were more frequent in women, COPD, ischemic heart disease and renal failure in men. There were no differences in diabetes, stroke and atrial fibrillation. Patients were prescribed a median of 8 different therapeutic subgroups (P25=6 and P75=11). Women were more frequently prescribed diuretics (76%), cardiac glycosides (22%) and ACE inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and men ACE inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor antagonists in combination with beta-blockers.

Conclusions: Heart failure patients in primary care are elderly, with significant co-morbidities and treated with a high number of drugs. Gender differences exist in cardiovascular risk factors, co-morbidities, and also in therapy.

Objetivo: Describir el perfil clínico y de consumo farmacológico de los pacientes con registro diagnóstico de insuficiencia cardiaca (IC) en una región sanitaria, a partir de los registros informáticos. Ver si existen diferencias por sexos.

Diseño: Estudio descriptivo transversal multicéntrico.

Emplazamiento: Región Sanitaria de Lleida.

Participantes: Toda la población adscrita a 21 centros de salud, diagnosticada de IC (3.017 de 306.229).

Mediciones principales: Datos demográficos, comorbilidades y subgrupos terapéuticos en pacientes con el diagnóstico de IC en la historia clínica.

Resultados: Registro de IC 0,99%, 59% mujeres, media de edad 80 años. Antecedentes: hipertensión 67%, fibrilación auricular (FA) 31%, diabetes (DM2) 30%, obesidad 27%, dislipemia 26,5%, asma/EPOC 26%, cardiopatía isquémica (CI) 19%, accidente vascular cerebral (AVC) 11%, e insuficiencia renal (IR) 12%. Hipertensión, dislipemia y obesidad son más frecuentes en mujeres y EPOC, CI e IR en hombres. No hay diferencias en DM2, AVC ni FA. Mediana de consumo de subgrupos terapéuticos por paciente durante el 2007 de 8 (P25 = 6 y P75 = 11). Las mujeres tienen mayor prescripción de diuréticos (76% vs 71%), glucósidos cardíacos (22% vs 19.3%) e IECA/ARAII (68% vs 64%) y los hombres de tratamiento combinado IECA/ARAII + beta bloqueantes (26,9% vs 23,5%). Hay una tendencia a mayor prescripción de estos últimos en hombres sin ser significativa.

Conclusiones: Los pacientes diagnosticados de IC en Atención Primaria son de edad muy avanzada, presentan pluripatología asociada y consumen muchos fármacos. Existen diferencias por sexos tanto en factores de riesgo cardiovascular y enfermedades asociadas como en el perfil de consumo farmacológico.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Heart Failure* / complications
  • Heart Failure* / drug therapy
  • Heart Failure* / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polypharmacy
  • Primary Health Care