title: Caring for patients with heart failure.
abstract: Heart failure affects more: 350,000 Canadians and accounts for more than dollar 1 billion of Canada's health budget. It is the most common condition requiring re-hospitalization and carries with it a mortality rate of between 25% and 40% (Liu et al., 2003) In British Columbia, approximately 70,000 people (1.5% of the B.C. population) were diagnosed with heart failure in 2003 and it is estimated that a further 70,000 people may be living undiagnosed with the condition (British Columbia Ministry of Health Services, 2003). The vast majority of people with heart failure are over 70 years of age. As our population ages, it is reasonable to expect that the burden of heart failure on our health system will continue to increase. Heart failure is usually a chronic condition marked by frequent exacerbations. It is these exacerbations that bring patients to hospital emergency departments and medical wards.
authors.affiliation: St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver.
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaan
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods; D015438:Health Behavior; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000925:Anticoagulants; D004232:Diuretics