title: Understanding the Epidemiology of Heart Failure to Improve Management Practices: An Asia-Pacific Perspective.
abstract: Heart failure (HF) is a major global healthcare problem with an estimated prevalence of approximately 26 million. In Asia-Pacific regions, HF is associated with a significant socioeconomic burden and high rates of hospital admission. Epidemiological data that could help to improve management approaches to address this burden in Asia-Pacific regions are limited, but suggest patients with HF in the Asia-Pacific are younger and have more severe signs and symptoms of HF than those of Western countries. However, local guidelines are based largely on the European Society of Cardiology and American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association guidelines, which draw their evidence from studies where Western patients form the major demographic and patients from the Asia-Pacific region are underrepresented. Furthermore, regional differences in treatment practices likely affect patient outcomes. In the following review, we examine epidemiological data from existing regional registries, which indicate that these patients represent a distinct subpopulation of patients with HF. In addition, we highlight that patients with HF are under-treated in the region despite the existence of local guidelines. Finally, we provide suggestions on how data can be enriched throughout the region, which may positively affect local guidelines and improve management practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Subang Jaya Medical Centre, Subang Jaya, Malaysia. Electronic address: rjeyacardio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jeyamalar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rajadurai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Hung-Fat
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Research Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung; Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Research Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung; Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ning-I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jingmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sim
mesh_terms: D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019468:Disease Management; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Asia-Pacific; epidemiology; heart failure; management