Drug treatment for heart failure in nursing-home residents revealed that only 17% received ACE inhibitors, while approximately 25% used potentially harmful drug combinations.
Cross-Sectional (n=1,552)
Yes
Guideline-directed medical therapy like ACE inhibitors is underutilized, and potentially harmful drug combinations are common among nursing-home residents with heart failure.
OBJECTIVE: To describe and assess drug treatment of heart failure (HF) in nursing-home residents. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Individual patient information was obtained from the medical records and drug-dispensing cards. SETTING: Nursing homes in Bergen, Norway. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic data, diagnostic data (main diagnoses, diagnostic indications for the drugs used), medications (drugs, dosage and duration of use). RESULTS: Data were gathered from 23 of 27 obtainable institutions representing 1552 residents (86% of the Bergen nursing-home population); 469 (30%) of the residents used drugs for HF, the majority of whom (293 patients) were treated with furosemide only. Supplementary angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (predominantly in sub-target doses) were provided to 17% of the HF patients. About one out of four used drug combinations which we considered to be potentially harmful for HF patients. CONCLUSIONS: ACE inhibitors are probably under-utilised for HF in nursing-home residents. Potentially harmful drug combinations commonly occur. Both diagnosis and drug treatment for HF should be challenged in the nursing-home setting.
Ruths et al. (Sat,) conducted a cross-sectional in Heart failure (n=1,552). Heart failure medications was evaluated on Demographic data, diagnostic data, and medications (drugs, dosage, and duration of use). Drug treatment for heart failure in nursing-home residents revealed that only 17% received ACE inhibitors, while approximately 25% used potentially harmful drug combinations.