Novel approaches to supporting heart failure patients in primary care

Heart failure (HF) is a malignant condition with many presentations. The type of HF directs appropriate therapeutic management. Primary care is increasingly seen as a solution to improving the variation in outcomes seen in national HF audits. This article describes and summarises existing UK primary care HF services and emerging issues of importance, focusing on the identification of suitable patients. The authors suggest approaches to address these issues, and describe why ensuring the accuracy and completeness of disease registers is an essential first step. The authors propose that the systematic review of all HF patients in primary care, augmented with a few simple annual checks, could have a major long-term positive impact on outcomes. As the NHS struggles to cope with the increasing prevalence and burden of HF, the evidence base suggests that nurses and pharmacists may have a key role to play in delivering this process.