Prevalence of vaccination rates in systolic heart failure: a prospective study of 549 patients by age, race, ethnicity, and sex in a heart failure disease management program

Healthy People 2010 aims at immunizing 60% of high-risk adults annually against influenza and once against pneumococcal disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a standardized approach to improve vaccination rates in patients with heart failure (HF); to determine whether disparities exist based on age, race, ethnicity, or sex at baseline and follow-up; and to evaluate the impact of clinical variables on the odds of being vaccinated. A prospective study of 549 indigent patients enrolled in a systolic HF disease management program (HFDMP) began enrollment from August 2007 to January 2009 at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Patients were interviewed at their initial visit for immunization status; those without vaccinations were offered the vaccines. Prevalence of vaccination (POV) for influenza and pneumococcal disease was obtained at baseline and at follow-up. The odds ratio for being vaccinated was calculated using logistic regression. The study population comprised mostly Hispanic (56%), black (37%), and male (70%) patients, with a mean age of 56 ± 12 years and a mean ejection fraction of 25% ± 10%. The initial POV for both was 22% at baseline. At follow-up, POV improved to 60.5%. Of those not vaccinated at baseline, 17.5% refused vaccination. Odds ratios at baseline for age, race/ethnicity, and sex were 0.99 (P=.99), 0.63 (P=.08), and 0.62 (P=.14), respectively. These did not change significantly at follow-up. Prevalence of vaccination in our cohort was low. Enrollment into the HFDMP improved immunization prevalence without creating age, race, ethnicity, or sex disparities.     

Prevalence of Conduction Abnormalities in a Systolic Heart Failure Population by Race,Ethnicity, and Gender

Background : There is paucity of data regarding conduction abnormalities in the Hispanic population with systolic heart failure (HF). We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in a systolic HF population, with attention to the Hispanic population. Methods : A cross sectional study of 926 patients enrolled in a systolic HF disease management program. ECGS were obtained in patients with an ejection fraction (EF) ≤ 40% by echocardiography at enrollment. Univariate and multivariate analysis adjusted by ethnicities was performed. Results: White patients exhibited higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (14.7%) than black patients (8.0%, P = 0.01) whereas Hispanics presented higher prevalence of paced rhythm (14.3% in Hispanics vs. 6.5% in whites and 5.2% in blacks, P<0.01 for both comparisons), higher prevalence of left bundle branch block (LBBB, 14.5% in Hispanics vs. 8.8% in whites and 5.8% in blacks, P = 0.002) and increased frequency of abnormal QT intervals (76.7% in Hispanics) than whites (59.6%) and blacks (69%) patients (P< 0.01 for both comparisons). A QRS interval greater than 120 ms was less prevalent among blacks (15.8% vs. 26.0% in whites and 25.3% in Hispanics, P = 0.01 for both comparisons). Univariate and multivariate analysis disclosed no influence of other characteristics (age, sex, coronary artery disease, hypertension, ejection fraction, medications) in the ECG findings. Conclusions: Hispanics with Systolic HF presented with increased prevalence of paced rhythm, LBBB, and abnormal QT intervals. Attention should be addressed to these ECG variations to recommend additional guidance for therapeutic interventions and provide important prognostic information.     

The prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia in overt and subclinical hypothyroidism

The aims of this study were to: 1) determine the prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia in patients with newly diagnosed subclinical and overt hypothyroidism, and 2) investigate the change in PRL levels with treatment. In this observational study, patients with a new diagnosis of hypothyroidism in our endocrinology clinic were approached for participation, as were healthy controls. Patients with medical reasons for having elevated PRL levels, lactating and pregnant women were excluded from the study. No patient had kidney or liver disease. After examination to determine if clinical causes of PRL elevation were present, serum levels of thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine and PRL were measured and correlation of PRL levels with the severity of hypothyroidism (overt or subclinical) was performed. Fifty-three patients (45 women, 8 men, mean age 45.3 ± 12.2 years) had overt hypothyroidism. One hundred forty-seven patients (131 women, 16 men, mean age 42.9 ± 12.6 years) had subclinical hypothyroidism. One hundred healthy persons (85 women, 15 men, mean age 43.9 ± 11.4 years) participated as controls. The same blood tests were repeated in patients after normalization of TSH levels with L-thyroxine treatment. PRL elevation was found in 36% of patients with overt hypothyroidism, and in 22% of patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. PRL levels decreased to normal in all patients after thyroid functions normalized with L-thyroxine treatment. In the hypothyroid patients (overt and subclinical) a positive correlation was found between TSH and PRL levels (r=0.208, p=0.003). PRL regulation is altered in overt and subclinical hypothyroidism, and PRL levels normalize with appropriate L-thyroxine treatment.     

Depression and quality of life among heart failure patients in Georgia, Eastern Europe

The goal of the study was to assess longitudinal changes in quality of life among patients who screened positive for depression and patients who did not enroll in an outpatient heart failure disease management program (HFDMP). Patients with an ejection fraction ≤40% and clinical signs and symptoms of heart failure were enrolled over 11 months from August 2007 to July 2008. Study participants (n=314) were divided at baseline into "depressed" (9-Question Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9] ≥10) and "nondepressed" (PHQ-9 <10) groups. The two cohort groups had quality of life assessed by the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire at baseline and at 1 year while enrolled in the HFDMP. Both groups showed improved quality of life scores, with the depressed group experiencing a greater mean score decrease (14.4 vs 10.8 for nondepressed patients; P<.01). Both patients who screened positive for depression and those who did not enroll in an HFDMP improved their quality of life scores, with depressed patients experiencing a statistically significant greater mean score reduction (better quality of life).     

Gender differences in advanced heart failure: insights from the BEST study

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine the influence of gender on baseline characteristics, response to treatment, and prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF) and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). BACKGROUND: Under-representation of women in HF clinical trials has limited our understanding of gender-related differences in patients with HF. METHODS: The impact of gender was assessed in the Beta-Blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial (BEST) which randomized 2,708 patients with New York Heart Association class III/IV and LVEF < or =0.35 to bucindolol versus placebo. Women (n = 593) were compared with men (n = 2,115). Mean follow-up period was two years. RESULTS: Significant differences in baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics were found. Women were younger, more likely to be black, had a higher prevalence of nonischemic etiology, higher right and left ventricular ejection fraction, higher heart rate, greater cardiothoracic ratio, higher prevalence of left bundle branch block, lower prevalence of atrial fibrillation, and lower plasma norepinephrine level. Ischemic etiology and measures of severity of HF were found to be predictors of prognosis in women and men. However, differences in the predictive values of various variables were noted; most notably, coronary artery disease and LVEF appear to be stronger predictors of prognosis in women. In the nonischemic patients, women had a significantly better survival rate compared with men. CONCLUSIONS: In HF patients with impaired LVEF, significant gender differences are present, and the prognostic predictive values of some variables vary in magnitude between women and men. The survival advantage of women is confined to patients with nonischemic etiology.     

Ethnic differences in the presentation of chronic hepatitis C

Hispanics comprise 13% of the population in the United States and are the fastest growing minority group. Features of hepatitis C in Hispanics have not been well characterized. The aims of this study were to compare features of hepatitis C among Hispanics, Whites, and African-Americans and to characterize hepatitis C infection in Hispanics. A retrospective analysis was performed on 1225 consecutive patients with hepatitis C seen at the University of Illinois at Chicago including 227 Hispanics, 508 Whites, and 490 African-Americans. Data collection consisted of demographic variables, risk factors for hepatitis C, history of alcohol use, laboratory parameters and liver histology. Pair-wise comparisons showed that Hispanics had higher aminotransferase levels than Whites and African-Americans. Hispanics had higher portal inflammation scores on liver biopsy than African-Americans (P = 0.002) and Whites (P = 0.043). Hispanics had a higher frequency of cirrhosis than African-Americans (P < 0.001) and a trend towards more cirrhosis than Whites (P = 0.165). There was a trend towards a higher prevalence of cirrhosis in Hispanic women (56%) than in Hispanic men (45%) [P = 0.14]. A cross-sectional analysis of patients at our liver center showed that Hispanics with hepatitis C had higher aminotransferase levels, more portal inflammation than Whites and African-Americans, and a higher prevalence of cirrhosis than African-Americans.     

High prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension.

PURPOSE: To characterize the prevalence of hypothyroidism in a population with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). METHODS: Retrospective record review of 41 patients with PPH seen between 1991 and 1997 at a tertiary care center. Data abstracted included: history of previous thyroid disease, intake of thyroid supplement, and thyroid function tests. Hypothyroidism was defined as a serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level higher than 5.5 U/L, intake of thyroid supplement, or low serum thyroxine level. RESULTS: Of the 40 patients with PPH included in the study (11 men and 29 women), ages ranged from 11 to 76 years (mean 43.5 years). The mean pulmonary artery pressure was 58.7 mm Hg. Thirty-three patients had normal serum TSH levels (3 of whom were on levothyroxine supplement); 1 had low TSH; 5 had high TSH (range, 6.8-9.9 U/L, mean 8.4 U/L), and 1 had low thyroxine (T4 < 1.0 microg/dL). Nine of 40 patients (22.5%) had evidence of hypothyroidism, which is much more than expected in the general population of similar age range (2.8% in men, 7.5% in women) (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with PPH is high (22.5%). Patients with PPH should be investigated for the possibility of coexisting hypothyroidism.     

The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in a racially diverse population

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in white, African American, and English- and Spanish-speaking Hispanic patients. METHODS: We screened patients older than 50 years for PAD at 4 primary care clinics located in the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Harris County Hospital District. The disease was diagnosed by an ankle-brachial index of less than 0.9. Patients also completed questionnaires to ascertain symptoms of intermittent claudication, walking difficulty, medical history, and quality of life. RESULTS: We enrolled 403 patients (136 whites; 136 African Americans; and 131 Hispanics, 81 of whom were Spanish speaking). The prevalence of PAD was 13.2% among whites, 22.8% among African Americans, and 13.7% among Hispanics (P =.06). African Americans had a significantly higher prevalence of PAD than whites and Hispanics combined (P =.02). Among all patients who were diagnosed as having PAD on the basis of their ankle-brachial index, only 5 (7.5%) had symptoms of intermittent claudication. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral arterial disease is a prevalent illness in the primary care setting. Its prevalence varies by race and is higher in African Americans than in whites and Hispanics. Relative to the prevalence of PAD, the prevalence of intermittent claudication is low. Since measurement of the ankle-brachial index is not part of the routine clinic visit, many patients with PAD are not diagnosed unless they develop symptoms of intermittent claudication. Because of this, it is likely that many patients remain undiagnosed. Efforts are needed to improve PAD detection in the primary care setting.     

Heart Rate Variability in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Prospective Study and Frequency Domain Analysis

Background: Cyclic variation of the heart rate is observed during apneic spells in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We hypothesized that autonomic changes would affect frequency‐domain measures of heart rate variability (HRV). Methods: We studied 20 patients (15 men, 5 women, mean age 47.2 ± 12.2 years) with suspected OSA undergoing overnight polysomnography, and five patients (4 men, 1 woman, mean age 49.2 ± 8.6 years) with recently diagnosed sleep apnea undergoing polysomnography while wearing continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Holter monitors were applied during sleep studies and data were analyzed in 5‐minute blocks over the course of the night. Using spectral analysis, low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) powers were calculated for each interval. Overall mean and standard deviation (SD) for LF power, HF power, and the LF:HF ratio were recorded for each patient. Comparisons were made between patients with severe OSA (apnea hypopnea index (AHI) > 30, n = 8 ), moderate OSA (AHI 1–30, n = 5 ), without OSA (AHI < 10, n = 7 ), and patients wearing CPAP (n = 5 ). Results: Assessment of overnight LF or HF power revealed no significant difference between the four groups. The LF:HF ratio, which represents sympathovagal balance, was higher among those with moderate disease compared to normals and those with severe OSA (both P = 0.037 ). The standard deviation of the LF:HF ratio was higher among those with moderate disease compared to normals (P = 0.0064) and those with severe OSA (P = 0.0006) . OSA patients receiving CPAP behaved like patients with moderate OSA, with increased SD of the LF:HF ratio. Conclusions: The observed changes in the LF:HF ratio and its SD suggest an increased sympathetic tone and discordance in sympathovagal activity in moderate OSA, which is blunted in severe OSA. CPAP may restore autonomic defects, characteristic of severe OSA, to moderate levels.     

Fibrilación auricular en población mexicana: Diferencias en presentación,comorbilidades y factores de riesgo entre hombres y mujeres

Objective:

To know the epidemiological behavior and associations of AF in Mexican population.

Material and methods:

8,686 patients from 38 cardiologists participating in REMECAR were analyzed. They were divided by gender and age, the comorbidities studied were obesity, chronic kidney disease (CKD), high blood pressure (HBP), diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypothyroidism, heart failure (HF) and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Program used: IBM SPSS Statistic.

Results:

AF was diagnosed in 498 patients (5.7%), with higher prevalence in men (6.1% vs. 5.3%) and older age in women (74.3 ± 12.1 vs. 70.5 + -12.3 years, p<0.0001). In those under 60 years, AF was associated in women with HF, in men with CKD, DM, stroke, hypothyroidism and HF. In women older than 60 years, AF was associated with CKD, dyslipidemia, stroke, chronic COPD and HF, in men with CKD, stroke, COPD, hypothyroidism, HF and IHD. AF in women increase the probability 1.13 for obesity, 1.13 for HBP, 2.8 for CKD, 2.9 for COPD, 4.3 for stroke and 6.5 for HF, in men increase the probability 1.05 for HBP, 1.4 for DM, 2.1 for CKD, 2.4 for COPD, 3.0 for hypothyroidism, 4.7 for stroke and 6.0 for HF.

Conclusions:

AF is a very common arrhythmia, with a higher prevalence in patients attending the cardiology consultation, in men and with an older age of presentation in women. The older the age, the higher the prevalence of AF and comorbidities, HF is the most frequent condition associated with AF.     

Abnormal myocardial perfusion and risk of heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND:

Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart failure (HF), although the pathophysiological processes have not been clarified.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the prevalence of HF and of abnormal myocardial perfusion in diabetic patients evaluated using technetium (99m) sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography.

METHODS:

An observational cross-sectional study was conducted that included patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who underwent echocardiography to diagnose HF and a pharmacological stress test with intravenous dipyridamole to examine cardiac scintigraphic perfusion abnormalities. Clinical and biochemical data were also collected.

RESULTS:

Of the 160 diabetic patients included, 92 (57.6%) were in HF and 68 (42.5%) were not. When patients were stratified according to the presence of abnormal myocardial perfusion, those with abnormal perfusion had a higher prevalence of HF (93%) than those with normal perfusion (44.4%) (P<0.0001). Patients with HF weighed more (P=0.03), used insulin less frequently (P=0.01), had lower total cholesterol (P=0.05) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (P=0.002), and a greater number of their myocardial segments showed abnormal perfusion (P≤0.001). More HF patients had a history of myocardial infarction (P<0.001) compared with those without HF. In a logistic regression analysis, the number of segments exhibiting abnormal myocardial perfusion was an independent risk factor for HF.

CONCLUSIONS:

The prevalence of HF in diabetic patients was high and HF predominantly occured in association with myocardial ischemia.     

Prevalence of Barrett's Esophagus in Hispanics Is Similar to Caucasians

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is considered to be adisease of white males with a prevalence ranging from0.5 to 4.0% in patients undergoing upper endoscopy (EGD)for any indication, and from 12 to 15% in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).The prevalence of BE in Hispanics is not known, but itis assumed to be lower. The aims of this study were todetermine the prevalence of BE in Hispanic patients and to compare demographic and endoscopiccharacteristics with Caucasian patients with BE. Recordsof patients undergoing an EGD between October 1993 andOctober 1996 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were included in the study only if they hadcolumnar-appearing esophageal mucosa at endoscopy andintestinal metaplasia with Alcian blue-staining gobletcells on biopsy. An extensive chart review was performed in patients with BE. There were 75 new cases ofBE discovered: 60 (80%) were Caucasians, 6 (8%)Hispanics, 1 (1.4%) Native American, and 8 (10.6%)patients with either unknown or unconfirmed ethnicity. Of the 75 patients, 74 male, and the mean agewas 65 ± 11.4 years (range 36-92 years). Theprevalence of BE in Caucasians and Hispanics undergoingEGD for any reason was similar (5.3% and 3.8%,respectively, P = 0.563). The prevalence of BE in patientspresenting with GERD symptoms was also similar betweenCaucasians and Hispanics (25% and 16%, respectively, P= 0.304). The two groups did not differ significantly with respect to age, symptoms, habits, orendoscopic findings. In conclusion, the prevalence of BEamong Hispanic patients is similar to Caucasianpatients, an unexpected finding.     

Age and Sex as Determinants of Ventricular Arrhythmic Events in Patients with Decompensated Congestive Heart Failure

Background: The propensity to develop specific arrhythmias varies between the sexes and is influenced by age. Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have a high prevalence of ventricular ectopy. However, in the setting of CHF, it is not known whether sex‐related or age‐dependent differences exist in the susceptibility to arrhythmias. Methods: The study population included 134 men and 73 women (mean age 61 ± 14 years) admitted for decompensated CHF. The severity of ventricular arrhythmias was assessed by 24‐hour Holter monitoring. None of the patients were on parenteral vasoactive therapy during Holter recording. Results: All measures of ventricular ectopy were markedly lower in women. The average hourly premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), the frequency of ventricular pairs, the mean hourly repetitive ventricular beats, and the frequency of ventricular tachycardia episodes per 24 hours were 40%, 62%, 65%, and 78% lower in women, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the risk of developing > 3 ventricular pairs per 24‐hour period (OR = 2.2, Cl = 1.1–4.2, P = 0.03), > 3 repetitive ventricular beats/hour (OR = 2.5, Cl = 1.2–5.3, P = 0.01), or an episode of ventricular tachycardia (OR = 2.1, CI = 1.2–3.9, P = 0.01) were significantly higher in men. Patients in the higher fertile age group had a higher risk for the presence of > 3 ventricular pairs per 24‐hour period (OR = 2.3, CI = 1.1–4.2, P = 0.03), and the presence of > 3 repetitive ventricular beats per hour (OR = 5.9, CI = 2.7–13.3, P < 0.0001), compared with patients in the lower age fertile. Conclusion: Male sex and age are associated with complex ventricular ectopy in patients with CHF. Further understanding of the mechanisms involved in the relative protection conferred by female sex would advance our understanding about arrhythmias in heart failure. A.N.E. 2002;7(3):234–241     

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征对非体外循环下冠状动脉旁路移植术患者心功能的影响

目的:探讨阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(OSAHS)在非体外循环下冠状动脉旁路移植术(OPCABG)患者中的患病率及其对患者心功能的影响。方法:本研究为前瞻性观察性研究;纳入2018年1月至2018年12月,在首都医科大学附属北京安贞医院行OPCABG手术患者101例;术前行便携式睡眠呼吸监测;根据呼吸暂停指数(AHI)分为轻度或无OSAHS患者和中重度OSAHS患者,比较两组患者基线资料、合并症、血液学检查、心功能检查、睡眠呼吸检查等指标。结果:根据入选及排除标准共入组74例OPCABG手术患者为研究对象,男性60例,平均年龄(61.1±7.2)岁,BMI(25.7±2.3)kg/m2,合并中重度OSAHS(AHI≥15)的OPCABG患者占总人数52.7%;合并中-重度OSAHS的OPCABG患者中男性和吸烟史比例高于合并轻度或无OSAHS患者(男性:92.3%vs.68.6%,P=0.009;吸烟史:66.7%vs.42.9%,P=0.04);二元Logistic回归分析显示,合并不同程度OSAHS的OPCABG患者射血分数(OR=0.922,95%CI:0.86~0.99,P=0.022)差异有统计学意义。结论:中-重度的OSAHS患者在OPCABG手术患者中发病率较高;OSAHS严重影响OPCABG患者的心功能。     

Impact of heart failure and left ventricular function on long-term survival--report of a community-based cohort study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND: There is little community-based information on heart failure (HF) prognosis in ethnic Chinese populations, in whom there is a low prevalence of coronary heart disease. AIMS: To study the impact of HF and left ventricular function on long-term all-cause mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: This community-based prospective cohort study included 2660 subjects (1215 men, 1445 women, mean age 54.4+/-11.9 years) over a 10 year follow-up period. The prevalence of HF was 5.5%. Hypertension was the most common factor related to HF. The five and ten year all-cause mortality was higher in the HF/preserved LVEF group (14.1% and 24.4%) and the HF/impaired LVEF group (29.2% and 48.2%) than in the HF-free group (6.0% and 14.6%, p<0.0001 for both). In multivariable Cox analyses, controlling for sex, LV mass, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, coronary heart disease, HF/preserved LVEF and HF/impaired LVEF were important predictors of all-cause mortality (p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension is a major heart failure related disease. HF and LV systolic dysfunction are associated with a significant increase in all-cause mortality in an ethnic Chinese population.     

Concurrent gonococcal and chlamydial infections among men attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis co-infection in men with gonorrhoea attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic in Edinburgh, Scotland. During the study period, there were 660 cases of culture-proven gonorrhoea. Chlamydial DNA was detected in the urethra in 79 (31%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 25-37%) heterosexual men who have sex with women (MSW); the median age was significantly lower than those with gonorrhoea alone (24.0 versus 30.0; P <0.0005). The prevalence of urethral chlamydial infection among MSW was significantly higher than among men who have sex with men (MSM) (32 [12%; 95% CI, 8-16%] of 268 MSM) (chi2 = 27.21; P <0.001). Sixteen (24%; 95% CI, 14-34%) of 68 MSM with rectal gonorrhoea had concurrent rectal chlamydial infection. The high prevalence of concurrent gonorrhoea and chlamydiae therefore warrants empirical treatment and/or testing for chlamydia in all men with urethral gonorrhoea.     

Open access to an outpatient intravenous diuresis program in a systolic heart failure disease management program

In order to provide efficient utilization of resources in an outpatient setting for acute exacerbation of heart failure (HF), the authors piloted an open-access outpatient intravenous (IV) diuretic program (IVDP) to evaluate utilization in an HF disease management program (HFDMP), patient characteristics for users of the program, and safety. An outpatient HFDMP at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, enrolling 577 patients 18 years and older with an ejection fraction ≤40% was implemented. For symptoms or weight gain ≥5 pounds, patients were eligible to use an open-access IVDP during clinic hours. A total of 130 HFDM patients (22.5%) used the IVDP. IVDP users were more likely to be diabetic, with lower body mass indices than non-IVDP users. New York Heart Association class IV patients and previously hospitalized patients were more likely to use the IVDP. There were no documented adverse reactions for patients receiving treatment and no difference in mortality between groups. This open-access outpatient IVDP model for patients with HF was readily utilized by the HFDMP participants and appears safe for use in this population. This unique model may provide alternative access for acute HF treatment. Congest Heart Fail.     

The Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment Among Adults With Incident Heart Failure: The “Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke” (REGARDS) Study

Background

Cognitive impairment (CI) is estimated to be present in 25%–80% of heart failure (HF) patients, but its prevalence at diagnosis is unclear. To improve our understanding of cognition in HF, we determined the prevalence of CI among adults with incident HF in the REGARDS study.