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Heart failure treatment patterns: A pharmacoepidemiological descriptive study in Colombia (The HEATCO study)
Manuel E Machado-Duque1,2, Andrés Gaviria-Mendoza1,2, Luis F Valladales-Restrepo1,2
1Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia. Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira - Audifarma S.A. Pereira, Colombia.
Insights
Heart failure medication patterns in Colombia show high use of beta-blockers and RAAS inhibitors. However, guideline-adherent therapies are less common for patients with reduced ejection fraction (LVEF).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent condition with high mortality rates.
- Understanding medication prescription patterns is crucial for optimizing HF management.
- This study focuses on HF patient treatment in Colombia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze medication prescription patterns for heart failure patients in Colombia.
- To identify factors influencing treatment choices.
- To compare adherence to guidelines based on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical records from 2019-2020.
- Inclusion of 4742 heart failure patients.
- Data collected on sociodemographics, clinical status, and prescribed medications, including LVEF.
Main Results:
- High prescription rates for beta-blockers (88.3%) and RAAS inhibitors (83.1%).
- Triple therapy (RAASi + beta-blocker + MRA) used in 56.4% of reduced LVEF patients.
- Quadruple therapy with SGLT2 inhibitors was low (4.6% in reduced LVEF).
Conclusions:
- Treatment for preserved LVEF aligns better with guidelines.
- Adherence to recommended therapies is lower for patients with reduced LVEF.
- Opportunities exist to improve guideline-directed medical therapy in Colombian HF patients.
Introduction:
Heart failure is a common condition associated with significant mortality. Objective: to determine the prescription patterns of medications for the treatment of heart failure in a cohort of patients from Colombia.
Methods:
This was a retrospective study based on the clinical records of patients diagnosed with heart failure between 2019 and 2020. Sociodemographic, clinical, paraclinical, and pharmacological variables and the specialty of the treating physician were identified. Patients were classified according to functional class, stage, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Results:
A total of 4742 patients were evaluated, with a mean age of 68.2 ± 13.8 years and a male predominance (61.3%). A total of 92.0% were classified as stage C and 54.8% as functional class I, the mean LVEF was 42.9 ± 14.8%, and 32.53% had reduced LVEF. 30.7% did not have LVEF data. The most common causes were ischemic heart disease (44.0%) and arterial hypertension (29.7%). A total of 5.2% had hospitalizations for heart failure in the last year, and 75.6% were attended by a general practitioner. These patients were treated with β-blockers (88.3%), renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASis) (83.1%), loop diuretics (46.8%), and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) (46.5%). Triple therapy with RAASis + β-blockers+MRAs was received by 56.4% of patients with reduced LVEF, 32.8% with mildly reduced LVEF and19.5% with preserved LVEF, while quadruple therapy adding a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) was given just to 4.6% with reduced LVEF.
Conclusion:
The treatment that patients with heart failure with preserved LVEF is relatively simpler and is closer to the recommendations, while the proportion of indicated therapies according to guidelines is lower among those with reduced LVEF.
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