title: Short-term outcomes in heart failure patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the short term outcomes of heart failure (HF) patients in the community who have concurrent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 783 patients (27.2%) with left ventricular systolic dysfunction under the care of a regional nurse-led community HF team between June 2007 and June 2010 through a database analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and one patients (12.9%) also had a diagnosis of COPD; 94% of patients were treated with loop diuretics, 83% with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, 74% with β-blockers; 10.6% with bronchodilators; and 42% with aldosterone antagonists. The mean age of the patients was 77.9 ± 5.7 years; 43% were female and mean New York Heart Association class was 2.3 ± 0.6. The mean follow-up was 28.2 ± 2.9 mo. β-blocker utilization was markedly lower in patients receiving bronchodilators compared with those not taking bronchodilators (overall 21.7% vs 81%, P < 0.001). The 24-mo survival was 93% in patients with HF alone and 89% in those with both comorbidities (P = not significant). The presence of COPD was associated with increased risk of HF hospitalization [hazard ratio (HR): 1.56; 95% CI: 1.4-2.1; P < 0.001] and major adverse cardiovascular events (HR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.03-1.75; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COPD is a common comorbidity in ambulatory HF patients in the community and is a powerful predictor of worsening HF. It does not however appear to affect short-term mortality in ambulatory HF patients.
authors.affiliation: Noel O'Kelly, Community Health Services, Leicestershire Partnership Trust, Melton, Leicestershire, Le13 1SJ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Kelly
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Jude
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dexter
authors.forename: Collette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carroll-Hawkins
authors.forename: Sudip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh