Table 2.
Characteristics of 683 patients with a GP’s diagnosis of heart failure, divided into patients receiving GP care only, and patients who received cooperative care from a cardiologist
| GP care only, % (n = 139) | Cooperative care from cardiologist, % (n = 544) | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No HF, according to the panel | 21.6 | 16.2 | 0.13 |
| Possible HF, according to the panel | 52.5 | 10.7 | <0.001 |
| Definite HF, according to the panel | 25.9 | 73.1 | <0.001 |
| Mean age, years (SD) | 81.5 (12.4) | 76.9 (11.4) | <0.001 |
| Male sex | 36.7 | 43.6 | 0.14 |
|
| |||
| Comorbidities | |||
| Angina pectoris | 10.8 | 19.5 | 0.02 |
| Prior myocardial infarction | 10.8 | 31.4 | <0.001 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 36.7 | 42.8 | 0.19 |
| Stroke | 10.1 | 9.2 | 0.75 |
| COPD | 20.1 | 19.5 | 0.86 |
| Hypertension | 53.2 | 53.5 | 0.96 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 25.2 | 30.3 | 0.23 |
| eGFR<60 mL/min/1.73 m2 | 33.1 | 38.2 | 0.26 |
|
| |||
| Additional investigations | |||
| Natriuretic peptides measurementsa | 70.5 | 68.9 | 0.72 |
| Echocardiographya | 30.9 | 84.4 | <0.001 |
|
| |||
| Drug prescriptions | |||
| Diuretics | 71.2 | 72.8 | 0.71 |
| ACE inhibitors or ARBs | 43.9 | 61.8 | <0.001 |
| Beta-blockers | 38.1 | 54.6 | 0.01 |
| MRAs | 15.1 | 25.6 | 0.009 |
| Digoxin | 15.8 | 19.3 | 0.35 |
a
Results available to the panel.
ACE inhibitor = angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. ARB = angiotensin receptor blocker. COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. eGFR = the calculated renal flow according to the modification of diet in renal diseases (MDRD) formula. MRAs = mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. SD = standard deviation.