Key result
Standardized heart failure prevalence reaches ~2.6% in Poland, marked by high recurrent hospitalizations.
Why the study?
To provide an overview of heart failure trends and associated risks to help refine diagnosis and treatment strategies in Central and Eastern European populations.
Observational (n=1,062,157)
Yes
This nationwide registry study highlights a growing burden of heart failure in Poland, with over 1 million affected individuals and persistently high healthcare utilization despite recent declines in hospitalizations.
Poland's rising HF burden with recurrent hospitalizations signals outpatient gaps; leaves open whether targeted strategies can reduce admissions.
BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is marked by a poor prognosis, heightened mortality risk, and recurrent hospitalizations. Poland consistently ranks among the highest of all Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, with a hospitalization rate of 616 per 100,000 citizens in 2019 - nearly 3 times the 34-country average. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to provide essential insights into the management of HF patients in Poland, with a particular focus on individuals experiencing recurrent hospitalizations, over the period 2014-2021. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This observational study analyzes long-term registry data from the Polish Ministry of Health and the Health Needs Map. It includes more than 1,000,000 patients diagnosed with HF (ICD-10: I50) or pulmonary edema (ICD-10: J81), treated across all medical facilities operating under a uniform national healthcare system. This study inherently employs a population-based approach, encompassing all medical facilities that treat patients with these ICD-10 codes. RESULTS: Here, we present data on HF prevalence, incidence, and the healthcare pathway. The number of diagnosed HF cases in Poland increased to 1.02 million by December 31, 2019. In 2021, the standardized HF prevalence rate reached 2,626 per 100,000 population, with the highest prevalence observed in individuals aged 80-89 years (32%). Heart failure hospitalizations (HFH) in 2019 were 1022 per 100,000, decreasing to 205,000 in 2021. Notably, the number of hospitalizations exceeded the number of patients receiving treatment by 18-25%. Between 2014 and 2021, more than 9.2 million healthcare services were recorded, accounting for 48% of all HF-related encounters. CONCLUSIONS: This study, relevant to both Polish and international cardiologists, provides a comprehensive overview of HF trends and associated risks, offering insights that may help refine diagnosis and treatment strategies in Central and Eastern European populations.
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Goch et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Heart failure (n=1,062,157). Heart failure was evaluated on Standardized heart failure prevalence rate in 2021. The standardized prevalence of heart failure in Poland reached 2,626 per 100,000 population in 2021, with over 1.02 million diagnosed cases by 2019 and a persistently high burden of recurrent hospitalizations.
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