Jackowski Leslie, Azam Roshmeen
Sansom Institute, University of South Australia.
Aust Fam Physician. 2008 Mar;37(3):137-9.
Heart failure is a common reason for general practice encounters. It affects 4% of Australians aged 45 years or over with the prevalence increasing from about 1% at age 50-59 years to more than 50% at 84 years of age and over. Patients with heart failure are increasingly managed in the primary care setting, and the emphasis of new national programs on early recognition of signs and diagnosis of heart failure suggest that this trend will continue. Beta blockers have been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure when used with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and a diuretic.
