title: Diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in Maori and New Zealand Europeans at the Waikato Hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the proportion of patients presenting with heart failure (HF) at Waikato Hospital who receive an evidence-based approach to care, and to investigate whether differences in guideline adherence between Maori and New Zealand Europeans (NZ Europeans) exist.
  
  
  METHODS
  An audit of medical records was performed for a random sample of 71 Maori and 69 NZ European patients with a first admission for HF at the Waikato Hospital between 1/1/2007 and 31/8/2008. Information relating to investigation and management of HF was obtained from these records, with comparisons made between Maori and NZ Europeans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maori patients admitted with HF were significantly younger than NZ European with a mean age of 62 years compared to 78 years respectively (p<0.01). An echocardiogram was performed in 57% of cases. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers were prescribed to 96% and 82% of cases with systolic dysfunction and no contraindications respectively. Diuretics were prescribed to 84%, aldosterone antagonists to 17% and angiotensin receptor blockers to 4% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this small retrospective series the adherence to key components of HF guidelines at Waikato Hospital is comparable with that seen in previous studies. Further studies with greater case numbers will be required to clarify whether there are differences in the investigation and treatment of HF between Maori and non-Maori.
authors: Population Health, Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton. richard.wall@waikatodhb.health.nz
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Wall
authors: Anita
authors: A
authors: Bell
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Devlin
authors: Ross
authors: R
authors: Lawrenson
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054143:Heart Failure, Systolic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009520:New Zealand; D044382:Population Groups; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists