title: Chronic heart failure home-based management with a telecardiology system: a comparison between patients followed by general practitioners and by a cardiology department.
abstract: A group of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) were followed by general practitioners (GPs) with a telecardiology system, and a second group of patients were followed by a home-based telemonitoring (HBT) protocol with medical and nursing supervision. The 212 GP patients were older than the 226 HBT patients, mostly women, with CHF secondary to chronic hypertension, less self-sufficient and with a non-optimized therapy. The mean number of telephone calls was 2.6 per patient in the GP group and 16.6 per patient in the HBT group (P<0.001). These preliminary data suggest the applicability and the efficacy of both management models for CHF patients.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, S Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Gussago (Brescia), Rome, Italy. sscalvini@fsm.it
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scalvini
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zanelli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paletta
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benigno
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Domeneghini
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Giuli
authors.forename: Amerigo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Glisenti
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D013689:Telephone