Table 1.
Characteristics of 683 patients with a GP’s diagnosis of heart failure who have been categorised by an expert panel into definite heart failure, possible heart failure, and no heart failure
| Definite HF, % (n = 434) | Possible HF, % (n = 131) | No HF, % (n = 118) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age, years (SD) | 77.2 (10.9) | 83.9 (9.5) | 74.1 (12.6) |
| Male sex | 46.9 | 33.6 | 34.7 |
| Cooperative care by a cardiologist | 91.7 | 44.3 | 74.6 |
|
| |||
| Comorbidities | |||
| Angina pectoris | 18.4 | 15.3 | 17.8 |
| Prior myocardial infarction | 32.5 | 18.3 | 17.8 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 48.4 | 37.4 | 21.2 |
| Stroke or TIA | 13.8 | 22.1 | 13.6 |
| COPD | 20.0 | 19.1 | 18.6 |
| Renal insufficiency (eGFR<30 mL/min/1.73 m2) | 9.7 | 13.7 | 4.2 |
| Hypertension | 54.6 | 45.0 | 58.5 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 32.7 | 26.7 | 19.5 |
|
| |||
| Additional investigations | |||
| Natriuretic peptide measurementsa | 71.0 | 68.7 | 64.4 |
| Echocardiographya | 92.6 | 15.3 | 67.8 |
| Natriuretic peptides or echocardiographya | 97.5 | 74.8 | 83.9 |
|
| |||
| Drug prescriptions | |||
| Diuretics | 75.1 | 74.0 | 61.0 |
| ACE inhibitors | 50.5 | 40.5 | 44.1 |
| ARBs | 15.2 | 11.5 | 11.0 |
| Beta-blockers | 56.0 | 42.0 | 44.1 |
| MRAs | 28.1 | 16.8 | 13.6 |
| Digoxin | 23.5 | 20.6 | 10.2 |
a
Results available to the panel.
ACE inhibitors = angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. ARBs = angiotensin receptor blockers. COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. eGFR = the calculated glomerular filtration rate according to the modification of diet in renal diseases (MDRD) formula. HF = heart failure. MRAs = mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. SD = standard deviation. TIA = transient ischaemic attack.