title: Precipitating factors leading to decompensation of heart failure. Traits among urban blacks.
abstract: Potential precipitating factors that led to cardiac decompensation and subsequent hospital admission for heart failure were examined in 101 patients in a large public hospital serving a predominantly working-class minority population. Ninety-seven percent of patients were black; their age was 59 +/- 14 years (mean +/- SD); on average, they were hospitalized three times in the preceding year for problems related to their heart failure. Potential precipitating factors for decompensated heart failure were identified in 93% of patients. Lack of adherence to the prescribed medical regimen was the most commonly identified causative factor and was noted in 64% of the cases; noncompliance with diet amounted to 22%, with drugs to 6%, and with the combination of drugs and diet to 37%. Other factors also related to hospitalization were cardiac arrhythmias (29%), emotional/environmental issues (26%), inadequately conceived drug therapy (17%), pulmonary infections (12%), and thyrotoxicosis (1%). Thus, the key preventive measure necessary in at least two thirds of patients centered around better adherence to drug and/or diet regimen, highlighting the precept that better patient education is mandatory if we are to minimize the number of hospital admissions for decompensated heart failure.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications; D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population