[Heart failure patients in Primary Care: aging, comorbidities and polypharmacy].

OBJECTIVE

To assess heart failure prevalence, epidemiology, co-morbidities and polypharmacy in our region from electronic patient records. To evaluate gender differences in heart failure patients.

DESIGN

Descriptive, cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Primary care Lleida (Spain).

PARTICIPANTS

All patients from 21 primary care centers with the diagnosis of heart failure in medical records were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Demographic data, comorbidities and therapeutical subgroups in patients with a diagnosis of heart failure in their clinical record.

RESULTS

Heart failure was found in 0.99% (3017 from 306229 patients), of whom 59% were women, and a mean age of 80 years. Comorbidities: hypertension 67%, diabetes 30%, hyperlipidemia 26.5%, obesity 27%, ischemic heart disease 19%, stroke 11%, atrial fibrillation 31%, COPD 26%, renal failure 12%. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia and obesity were more frequent in women, COPD, ischemic heart disease and renal failure in men. There were no differences in diabetes, stroke and atrial fibrillation. Patients were prescribed a median of 8 different therapeutic subgroups (P25=6 and P75=11). Women were more frequently prescribed diuretics (76%), cardiac glycosides (22%) and ACE inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor antagonists, and men ACE inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor antagonists in combination with beta-blockers.

CONCLUSIONS

Heart failure patients in primary care are elderly, with significant co-morbidities and treated with a high number of drugs. Gender differences exist in cardiovascular risk factors, co-morbidities, and also in therapy.