How patients with heart failure are managed in Italy

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M Senni1, A Gavazzi

  • 1Divisione di Cardiologia, Dipartimento Cardiovascolare, Ospedali Riuniti, Largo Barozzi n. 1, 24128 Bergamo, Italy.

European Journal of Heart Failure
|March 14, 2001
PubMed

Insights

In Italy, heart failure management involves general practitioners and specialists, but cardiologists treat only a minority. Increased involvement of internists and general practitioners in heart failure trials is needed to improve clinical practice.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Public Health
  • Healthcare Systems

Background:

  • The Italian National Health System funds healthcare through taxation, with care organized by general practitioners and hospital specialists.
  • All Italian citizens are registered with a general practitioner, who typically refers suspected heart failure patients to higher care levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the current management of heart failure patients in Italy.
  • To identify areas for improvement in the involvement of different medical professionals in heart failure care and clinical trials.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the Italian healthcare system structure for heart failure management.
  • Review of current practices regarding specialist referrals, diagnostic procedures (echocardiography), and medication use (ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers).

Main Results:

  • A minority of heart failure patients are managed by cardiologists; most are seen by general practitioners or internists.
  • Echocardiography use is lower in internal medicine divisions compared to cardiology units.
  • ACE inhibitor use is satisfactory among Italian cardiologists, and beta-blocker use is increasing.

Conclusions:

  • Further efforts are required to integrate internists and general practitioners into heart failure treatment trials.
  • Expanding the involvement of primary care physicians and internists can help translate trial benefits into broader clinical practice for heart failure patients in Italy.

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