In HF, Non-Cardiac Comorbidities Are Common

For patients with heart failure (HF) admitted to the hospital, non-cardiovascular comorbidities such as asthma or obesity have increased in prevalence over recent years, according to new findings.

Patients older than 65 years with HF and at least one non-cardiovascular comorbidity have an increased risk of mortality compared with younger patients.

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To conduct their study, the researchers reviewed data from 207,984 patients registered in Get With the Guidelines–Heart Failure program, which is an in-hospital program for improving care by promoting consistent adherence to the latest scientific treatment guidelines, from 2005 to 2014.

The researchers also assessed Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older for 30-day mortality.

Results of the analysis showed that 18% of participants had 0 non-cardiovascular comorbidities, 30% had 1, 27% had 2, and 25% had 3 or more.

“From 2005 to 2014, there was a decline in patients with 0 non-cardiovascular comorbidities (22%-16%; P<0.0001) and an increase in patients with 3 [or more] non-cardiovascular comorbidities (18%-29%; P<0.0001),” the researchers wrote.

Medicare beneficiaries who had at least one non-cardiovascular comorbidity had an increased 30-day adjusted mortality risk.

“Patients admitted in hospital for HF have an increasing number of non-cardiovascular comorbidities over time, which are associated with worse outcomes,” the researchers concluded. “Strategies addressing the growing burden of non-cardiovascular comorbidities may represent an avenue to improve outcomes and should be included in the delivery of in-hospital HF care.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Virtanen HEK,  Voutilainen S, Koskinen TT, Mursu J,  Tuomainen TP,  Virtanen JK. Intake of different dietary proteins and risk of heart failure in men: The Kuopio ischaemic heart disease risk factor study. 2018;11:e004531. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.117.004531.

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