LEAP Virtual Visit Assessment (VIVA): a structured protocol for virtual visits for patients with heart failure.

AIMS: Telemedicine may be of benefit in patients with heart failure (HF), although virtual visits are often carried out on an ad hoc basis. Herein, we discuss a structured protocol that defines all the steps needed for virtual visits, LEAP Virtual Visit, which includes guides and support kits for clinicians and patients. METHODS: A working group of clinicians was established to develop a protocol for virtual visits. The virtual model for monitoring HF patients was based on measurement and sizing of patient flows, type of services, and critical organizational points. The process of virtual visits was broken down to identify the specific activities, players, roles, and support tools needed for implementation in daily practice. RESULTS: In the protocol developed, sections were included on patient eligibility, exams, supportive tools, and practical organizational aspects. IT requirements were also considered and the most widely used teleconference platforms were compared according to features that were considered to be priority for virtual visits. Protocols and support kits were developed, including guides for clinicians and patients, two questionnaires to assess the level of satisfaction, patient diary, disease awareness brochure, and template to monitor key performance indicators. The phases include an enrolment phase, document sharing phase, pre-evaluation phase, the virtual visit itself, and the post-visit phase. The protocol for the virtual visit was divided into 8 sequential steps to be carried out between the clinic and patient/caregiver. CONCLUSION: The protocol described can be expected to have a number of benefits for the patient, clinic, and healthcare structure.

Prevalence, clinical impact and costs of hyperkalaemia: Special focus on heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Hyperkalaemia is a potential life-threatening electrolyte abnormality. Although renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) are potentially life-saving, they may contribute to hyperkalaemia. METHODS: The prevalence, comorbidities, comedications and 1-year outcomes of patients admitted or treated for hyperkalaemia were investigated in a large healthcare administrative database including 12 533 230 general population inhabitants. A similar analysis was performed in the Italian Network on Heart Failure (IN-HF), a cardiology registry of 1726 acute and 7589 chronic HF patients, stratified by serum potassium. General practice healthcare costs related to hyperkalaemia were also assessed. Hyperkalaemia was defined by hospital coding, potassium-binder prescription or serum levels (mild: 5-5.4, moderate-severe: ≥5.5 mmol/L). RESULTS: In the general population, the prevalence of hyperkalaemia was 0.035%. After excluding patients on haemodialysis, hyperkalaemia in the community (n = 2314) was significantly and directly associated with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, HF, RAASi prescriptions, 1-year hospitalisations and threefold annual healthcare costs, compared to age- and sex-matched non-hyperkalaemic subjects (n = 2314). In the IN-HF registry, hyperkalaemia affected 4.3% of acute and 3.6% of chronic patients and was significantly associated with diabetes, kidney disease and lesser use of RAASi, compared to normokalaemic patients. Among patients hospitalised for acute HF, those with hyperkalaemia at entry had significantly higher 1-year all-cause mortality compared with normokalaemic patients, even after adjustment for available confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperkalaemia in the general population, although uncommon, was associated with increased hospitalisations and tripling of healthcare costs. Among HF patients, hyperkalaemia was common and associated with underuse of RAASi; in acutely decompensated patients, it remained independently associated with 1-year all-cause mortality.

[ANMCO Position paper: From acute to chronic disease: the needs of complex cardiac patients]. / Position paper ANMCO: Bisogni assistenziali del malato cardiopatico complesso: dalla fase acuta alla fase cronica.

Managing a patient suffering from a chronic disease requires a multidisciplinary team that can take care of them beyond the simple coordination of various specialties. In this context, a central role in the treatment of chronic heart disease is the continuity of care that should promote organic integration among different hospital departments, hospital and community. This position paper of the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO) aims at defining the general principles to inspire care for complex cardiac patients at different phases of the disease. A multidisciplinary integrated holistic approach uses analytical tools able to understand the elements that characterize complexity and therefore suggest appropriate management strategies: (i) care pathways aimed at optimizing treatments; (ii) care pathways in intensive care and ward in a multidisciplinary perspective; (iii) integration of social and health needs; (iv) nursing role in the context of continuity of outpatient, community and home care; (v) promotion of educational interventions.

[The APULIA HF multicenter study: efficacy of a management protocol shared between hospital and territorial health services for acute decompensated heart failure patients]. / Studio multicentrico APULIA HF: efficacia di un protocollo di gestione condiviso fra ospedale e territorio dei pazienti ospedalizzati per scompenso cardiaco acuto.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy of a management model to reduce hospitalizations in patients recently admitted for acute decompensated heart failure. METHODS: The management model was based on a close integration between hospital and territory health services. Clinical evaluation, ECG, echocardiographic findings, total body bioimpedance and brain natriuretic peptide serum levels were used to assess clinical stability of patients at discharge and during follow-up. A dedicated nurse (care manager) was involved in patient empowerment, telephone follow-up, check of adherence to therapy and clinical conditions, and management of scheduled evaluations. All hospitalizations occurring prior to or after enrolment in the municipalities involved in the study were considered, as well as the hospitalizations occurring among enrolled patients. RESULTS: A total of 301 patients were enrolled, 226 of them from the Centers of the Puglia Region, Italy. An overall reduction of 6% in total hospitalizations with DRG 127 was observed; the reduction was most evident in the two centers with the smaller reference population (-16% and -26%, respectively). In the group of patients enrolled, an overall reduction in hospital admissions was observed after comparing the period before and after enrolment. A significant increase in the prescription rate of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers and aldosterone antagonists was also observed. Finally, an overall reduction in the costs for patient management was demonstrated. Similar results were obtained in the two additional Centers of the Basilicata and Lazio Regions. CONCLUSIONS: An integrated management between hospital and territory allows optimization of the management of heart failure patients, with improvement of therapy and reduction in hospitalizations and management costs.

The association between diabetes and depression: a very disabling condition.

Rates of depression are significantly increased in diabetic patients, and even more in the elderly. About 20-30% of patients with diabetes suffer from clinically relevant depressive disorders, 10% of which being affected by the major depression disorder. Moreover, people with depression seem to be more prone to develop an associated diabetes mellitus, and depression can worsen glycemic control in diabetes, with higher risk to develop complications and adverse outcomes, whereas improving depressive symptoms is generally associated with a better glycemic control. Thus, the coexistence of depression and diabetes has a negative impact on both lifestyle and quality of life, with a reduction of physical activity and an increase in the request for medical care and prescriptions, possibly increasing the healthcare costs and the susceptibility to further diseases. These negative aspects are particularly evident in the elderly, with further decrease in the mobility, worsening of disability, frailty, geriatric syndromes and increased mortality. Healthcare providers should be aware of the possible coexistence of depression and diabetes and of the related consequences, to better manage the patients affected by these two pathological conditions.