title: [Heart failure patients in Primary Care: aging, comorbidities and polypharmacy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess heart failure prevalence, epidemiology, co-morbidities and polypharmacy in our region from electronic patient records. To evaluate gender differences in heart failure patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary care Lleida (Spain).
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients from 21 primary care centers with the diagnosis of heart failure in medical records were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic data, comorbidities and therapeutical subgroups in patients with a diagnosis of heart failure in their clinical record.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heart failure was found in 0.99% (3017 from 306229 patients), of whom 59% were women, and a mean age of 80 years. Comorbidities: hypertension 67%, diabetes 30%, hyperlipidemia 26.5%, obesity 27%, ischemic heart disease 19%, stroke 11%, atrial fibrillation 31%, COPD 26%, renal failure 12%. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia and obesity were more frequent in women, COPD, ischemic heart disease and renal failure in men. There were no differences in diabetes, stroke and atrial fibrillation. Patients were prescribed a median of 8 different therapeutic subgroups (P25=6 and P75=11). Women were more frequently prescribed diuretics (76%), cardiac glycosides (22%) and ACE inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and men ACE inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor antagonists in combination with beta-blockers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heart failure patients in primary care are elderly, with significant co-morbidities and treated with a high number of drugs. Gender differences exist in cardiovascular risk factors, co-morbidities, and also in therapy.
authors.affiliation: CAP Primer de Maig, Lleida, España. ggalindo.lleida.ics@gencat.cat
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galindo Ortego
authors.forename: Inés Cruz
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Esteve
authors.forename: Jordi Real
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gatius
authors.forename: Leonardo Galván
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.forename: Carmen Monsó
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lacruz
authors.forename: Plácido Santafé
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Soler
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019338:Polypharmacy; D011320:Primary Health Care