Dysphagia development in heart failure patients: A scoping review

Dysphagia significantly affects older adults, particularly those with heart failure (HF). This scoping review aimed to delineate the development of dysphagia and its contributing factors in patients with HF.

We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and CENTRAL databases up to September 2023, focusing on studies involving HF patients aged 60 and above, particularly those assessing post-hospitalization dysphagia.

Of 1,076 identified studies, nine were relevant. The prevalence of dysphagia at admission was 23.6 % (14.1 - 32.9), with 9.4 % (4.5 - 13.8) persisting until discharge. The evaluation of dysphagia primarily relies on oral intake assessments, highlighting several risk factors, including high inflammation, low energy intake, advanced age, low Barthel Index scores, poor oral health, antipsychotic usage, and low maximum tongue pressure. It is important to note potential author bias and overlap among study populations.

This review highlights the significant development of dysphagia in patients with HF, and the prevalence of newly developed dysphagia was 23.6 % (14.1 - 32.9). Key risk factors include older age, high inflammation, low activities of daily living, and sarcopenia, which is suggested as a pathogenic mechanism in dysphagia. Future research should focus on diverse samples, investigate the impact of sarcopenia and cachexia, and objectively assess swallowing function.