Management of heart failure in Switzerland

Similar to other countries, heart failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Switzerland. Among heart failure patients admitted to a Swiss university hospital in 1998, admission therapy included: ACE inhibitors/AT-II blockers in approximately two-thirds; diuretics in approximately 70%; and beta-blockers in approximately one-third. Easy access to diagnostic tests and limited results of surveys suggest that quality of care of heart failure patients is satisfactory in Switzerland. However, results from ongoing studies are required to assess more reliably the quality of diagnosis and therapy of this high-risk population in Switzerland.