title: Turkish registry for diagnosis and treatment of acute heart failure: TAKTIK study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to develop a national database of patients hospitalized in Turkey with acute heart failure (AHF) using evaluations of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient data were collected using an Internet-based survey. A total of 588 patients were enrolled from 36 participating medical centers across the country.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 62±13 years and 38% of the patients were female. Ratio of de novo AHF to study cohort was 24%. Coronary heart disease and hypertension were found in 61% and 53% of the patients, respectively. Valvular heart disease was the underlying cause in 46% of heart failure patients. The most frequent factor associated with decompensation was noncompliance with treatment, observed in 34% of patients. Systolic blood pressure was 125±28 mmHg and heart rate was 93±22 beats/minute in the cohort. The most common findings on physical examination were inspiratory fine crackles (84%), peripheral edema (64%), and cold extremities in 34%. Mean ejection fraction (EF) measured at admission was 33±13%. Preserved EF (?%40) was present in 20% of patients. On admission, 60%, 46%, and 40% of patients were using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker, beta-blocker, or aldosterone antagonist, respectively. In-hospital events were reported as 3.4% death, 1.6% stroke and 2% myocardial infarction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to previous data collected around the world, AHF patients in Turkey were younger, had more frequently valvular heart disease as the underlying cause, and were more noncompliant with medical treatment, but overall mortality was lower. Drugs shown to reduce mortality, and which also form the basis of guideline-directed medical therapy, are still used inadequately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. meseren@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoghi
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Yüksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Çavuşoğlu
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Demirbağ
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Şahin
authors.forename: Osman Akın
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Serdar
authors.forename: Ersel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Onrat
authors.forename: Haşim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mutlu
authors.forename: Dursun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dursunoğlu
authors.forename: Mehmet Birhan
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Temizhan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology