This study analysed anonymised patient data extracted from the clinical software of 43 participating GP clinics for the 5-year period from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2018. Patients were stratified into ‘definite’ and ‘probable’ HF based on a hierarchy of selection criteria and analysed for their clinical characteristics. Symptoms and signs of HF and ejection fraction data were searched for within the free text of the medical notes.
Of the 1.12 million adults seen regularly, 20,219 were classified as having definite or probable HF. The mean age of the population was 69.8 years, 50.6% were female, and mean body mass index was 31.2 kg/m2. The most common comorbidities in people with HF were hypertension (41.1%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/asthma (25.1%) and depression/anxiety (18.4%). Loop diuretic use was common (56.7%) but only 33.7% were on a guideline recommended beta-blocker. Use of ivabradine (1.4%) and sacubitril/valsartan (1.2%) was very low, while 39.9% had been prescribed an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, 31.6% an angiotensin receptor blocker and 16.0% spironolactone. Many patients were prescribed medications that may worsen HF or are relatively contraindicated, such as macrolide antibiotics (29.9%), corticosteroids (25.8%), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (23.9%), and tricyclic antidepressants (9.4%).
To read more, visit https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34708559/