Women and heart failure: first year data from the canadian clinics network

Abstract:

Since July 1998, the Canadian CHF (chronic heart failure)
Clinics Network has been established in 11 initial centers across
Canada. Educational material for referring physicians, nurses and
patients were developed. A national computerized database has
been operational since January 1999. One of our goals was to
document treatment patterns in different populations across
Canada.
The present study wished to establish the referral patterns of
female patients to specialized CHF clinics in Canada.
Of 884 patients entered into the database in the first year,
only 28% were female: age 63 yrs, LVEF 27%, 8% LVEF >45%, NYHA
class I 10%; II 33%; III 44%; IV 12%; ischemic 48%, idiopathic
25%, history of hypertension 34%, dyslipidemia 23%, diabetes 22,
valvular disease 13%, current smoker 7%, morbid obesity 6%,
depression 12%, ETOH abuse 2%. Drug treatment was similar between
men and women.
At the clinic visit, changes in patient management occurred as
follows: medication change 49%, blood work 63%, EKG 45%, echo
11%, CXR 9%, hospitalization 3%, education about disease 49%,
medication 49%, fluid/salt/weight 48%, exercise 33%.
Although women received similar treatment to men in these
specialized clinics, our data suggest that fewer women are
referred and more may be treated within these communities without
referral. This is an important opportunity for education and
outreach programs. The Canadian CHF Clinics Network allows
documentation of CHF in women and may be an important tool to
monitor regional patterns, disease trends and treatment
interventions.