Treatment patterns among newly diagnosed heart failure patients in general practice.
OBJECTIVE
To examine treatment patterns of heart failure (HF) in general practice and to evaluate factors influencing the choice of that treatment, such as age, sex, severity of disease and co-morbidity.


METHODS
We used previously identified and confirmed incident cases of HF (patients aged 40-84 years) from the General Practice Research Database in the UK (n = 938). We collected recorded information on demographics. co-morbidity and drug treatment prescribed 1 year before and after the incident diagnosis in 1996.


RESULTS
Most of the study cohort was over 60 years old and presented with several concomitant diseases. Use of most cardiovascular drugs significantly increased after the diagnosis of HF. There was a greater than threefold increase in the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, while use of nitrates decreased after diagnosis of HF among men. Use of beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers slightly decreased after diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that well-established treatment practices were followed by general practitioners. Severity of the disease favoured use of diuretics and a previous ischaemic heart disease and hypertension favoured use of beta-blockers and aspirin. Women and elderly patients were less likely to receive treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.
Johansson
Saga
S
Section of Preventive Cardiology, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Wallander
Mari-Ann
MA
Ruigómez
Ana
A
García
RodríguezLuisAlberto
R
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents