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Heart failure in primary care
1Princess Royal Hospital, Brighton.
Nursing Times
|May 16, 2003
Insights
Heart failure is a serious condition where the heart cannot pump blood effectively. This syndrome affects millions in the UK, with thousands of new cases diagnosed annually.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome.
- It arises from structural or functional cardiac disorders.
- Impaired cardiac function affects the heart's ability to act as an efficient pump.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define heart failure.
- To present prevalence and incidence data in the UK.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and data synthesis.
- Analysis of existing epidemiological studies.
Main Results:
- Prevalence estimates range from 1% to 5% of the UK population.
- This translates to 0.5 to 3 million affected individuals.
- Approximately 63,000 new cases are reported annually in the UK.
Conclusions:
- Heart failure represents a significant public health burden in the UK.
- Consistent definitions are crucial for accurate epidemiological assessment.
- High incidence rates underscore the need for effective management and prevention strategies.
Abstract:
Heart failure is a complex syndrome that results from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the heart to function as a pump. It affects, depending on definition, between one to five per cent of the UK--half a million to three million people (Cleland et al, 2001). About 63,000 new cases are reported in the UK every year (Cowie et al, 2000).