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Patterns of beta-blocker utilization in patients with chronic heart failure: experience from a specialized outpatient

Ritesh Gupta1, W H Wilson Tang, James B Young

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.

American Heart Journal
|December 24, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Beta-blocker utilization in heart failure patients reached 69% in a specialized clinic. Quality improvement initiatives can target subgroups with lower beta-blocker use, such as older patients or those with diabetes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Beta-blockers are proven to improve outcomes in heart failure patients.
  • Limited data exists on beta-blocker use in real-world clinical practice.
  • Utilization targets for quality improvement are not established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess beta-blocker utilization rates in a specialized heart failure clinic.
  • To identify factors associated with lower beta-blocker use.
  • To inform quality improvement initiatives.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 500 chronic heart failure patients.
  • Data extracted from electronic medical records.
  • Inclusion criteria: specialized outpatient heart failure clinic patients.

Main Results:

  • Beta-blocker utilization rate was 69%.
  • Seventy-five percent of patients tried a beta-blocker; 16% experienced side effects.
  • Lower utilization observed in elderly, diabetic patients, and those with preserved ejection fraction.

Conclusions:

  • Approximately 70% of heart failure patients can be successfully treated with beta-blockers in specialized settings.
  • Targeted quality improvement initiatives can address subgroups with lower utilization.
  • Physician commitment to beta-blocker use is crucial for success.
Abstract

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