[Diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in primary health care. Low correlation between Pro-ANF and heart failure].
Three eastern Swedish primary care clinics serving a predominantly rural clientele monitored for 13 months all patients under 80 years of age with a diagnosis based on clinical signs alone of heart failure (n = 56) or suspected incipient heart failure (n = 62). Echocardiography was performed on all patients. For 64% of the former group, the putative diagnosis matched echocardiography findings. Results showed a purely diastolic disorder in one-fifth of all 118 patients, and a hemodynamically significant, hitherto unknown heart defect in about as many. Pro-ANF assays correlated poorly with manifest heart failure. Pharmacological treatments were registered, and at 6-month follow-up, 82% of patients with systolic failure were receiving ACE-inhibition.
Blomqvist
K
K
Allmänmedicin, Aby vårdcentral, Linköping. Kjell.Blomqvist@aby.lin.lio.se
Ortoft
K
K
Johansson
A
A
Ascione
S
S
Nylander
E
E
Akerlind
I
I
D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013548:Sweden; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor