title: Recent Patient Characteristics and Medications at Admission and Discharge in Hospitalized Patients With Heart Failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To improve the clinical outcome of heart failure (HF), it is important to evaluate the etiology and comorbidities of HF. We previously reported the baseline clinical characteristics and medications in hospitalized patients with HF in years 2000 - 2002 (group 2000) and 2007 - 2009 (group 2008).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study of 158 patients who were hospitalized due to HF between 2012 and 2014 (group 2013) in the Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University Hospital. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and medications at admission and discharge, and compared the findings in group 2013 to those in group 2000 and group 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The major causes of HF were ischemic heart disease, hypertensive cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, and dilated cardiomyopathy. The New York Heart Association classification in group 2013 was significantly higher than those in group 2000 and group 2008. There was no difference in the level of brain natriuretic peptide at admission between group 2008 and group 2013. Tolvaptan began to be administered in group 2013. The median dose of furosemide just before the use of tolvaptan was 40 mg/day. At discharge, group 2013 showed higher rates of β-blocker and aldosterone antagonist. There was no difference in the frequency of loop diuretics. The dose of carvedilol at discharge was only 6.2 ± 4.0 mg/day. Antiarrhythmic drugs and β-blocker were used more frequently in HF with reduced ejection fraction (EF) than in HF with preserved EF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We may be able to improve the clinical outcome of HF by examining the differences in the clinical characteristics and medications at admission and discharge in hospitalized patients with HF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-Ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Natsumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morito
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiga
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Joji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morii
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yahiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keijiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saku
keywords: Aldosterone antagonist; Clinical characteristics; Heart failure; Tolvaptan; β-blocker