Manejo y tratamiento actual de la insuficiencia cardiaca en unidades acreditadas de cardiología y medicina interna en España / Current heart failure disease management and treatment in accredited units from cardiology and internal medicine in Spain

Antecedentes y objetivos La insuficiencia cardiaca (IC) es una patología compleja con una alta prevalencia, incidencia y mortalidad que conlleva un importante coste sanitario. En España existen unidades de IC (UIC) multidisciplinares, lideradas por cardiología y medicina interna. Nuestro objetivo era conocer su organización actual y adherencia a las últimas recomendaciones científicas. Materiales y métodos Un comité científico formado por cardiólogos e internistas elaboró una encuesta a finales de 2021, que fue enviada a 110 UIC. Setenta y tres de cardiología, acreditadas por SEC-Excelente, y 37 de medicina interna, integradas en el programa UMIPIC. Resultados Se recibieron 83 encuestas cumplimentadas (75,5%); 49 de cardiología y 34 de medicina interna. Los resultados mostraron que las UIC están integradas mayoritariamente por un cardiólogo, internista y enfermería especializada (34,9%). El perfil de paciente atendido en las UIC cardiológicas es muy diferente al paciente de las UMIPIC, siendo estos últimos mayores, con fracción de eyección ventricular izquierda conservada y más carga de comorbilidad. La mayoría de UIC actualmente realizan seguimiento mixto, presencial y telemático (73,5%). Los péptidos natriuréticos son los biomarcadores más utilizados (90%). Se titulan los cuatro grupos farmacológicos fundamentales de tratamiento de la IC a la vez mayoritariamente (85%). Solo 24% de las unidades mantienen una comunicación fluida con atención primaria. Conclusiones Los dos modelos de UIC liderados por cardiología y medicina interna son complementarios, disponen de enfermería especializada, y siguen al paciente de forma mixta, con una adherencia farmacológica muy alta a las últimas recomendaciones científicas. El principal punto de mejora es la coordinación con atención primaria (AU)

Background and objectives Heart failure (HF) is a complex disease with high prevalence, incidence and mortality rates leading to high healthcare burden. In Spain, there are multidisciplinary HF units coordinated by cardiology and internal medicine. Our objective was to describe its current organizational model and their adherence to the latest scientific recommendations. Materials and methods In late 2021, a scientific committee (with cardiology and internal medicine specialists) developed a questionnaire that was sent as an online survey to 110 HF units [73 from cardiology (accredited by SEC-Excelente) and 37 from internal medicine (integrated in UMIPIC program)]. Results We received 83 answers (75.5% total: 49 from cardiology and 34 from internal medicine). The results showed that HF units are mostly integrated by specialists from cardiology, internal medicine and specialized nurse practitioners (34.9%). Patient characteristics from HF units are widely different when comparing those in cardiology to UMIPIC, being the latter older, more frequently with preserved ejection fraction and higher comorbidity burden. Most HF units (73.5%) currently use a hybrid face-to-face/virtual model to perform patient follow-up. Natriuretic peptides are the biomarkers most commonly used (90%). All four disease-modifying drug classes are mainly implemented at the same time (85%). Only 24% of HF units hold fluent communication with primary care. Conclusions Both models from cardiology and internal medicine HF units are complementary, they include specialized nursing, they use hybrid approach for patient follow-up and they display a high adherence to the latest guideline recommendations. Coordination with primary care remains as the major improvement area (AU)

Current heart failure disease management and treatment in accredited units from cardiology and internal medicine in Spain.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Heart failure (HF) is a complex disease with high prevalence, incidence and mortality rates leading to high healthcare burden. In Spain, there are multidisciplinary HF units coordinated by cardiology and internal medicine. Our objective is to describe its current organizational model and their adherence to the latest scientific recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In late 2021, a scientific committee (with cardiology and internal medicine specialists) developed a questionnaire that was sent as an online survey to 110 HF units. 73 from cardiology (accredited by SEC-Excelente) and 37 from internal medicine, (integrated in UMIPIC program). RESULTS: We received 83 answers (75.5% total: 49 from cardiology and 34 from internal medicine). The results showed that HF units are mostly integrated by specialists from cardiology, internal medicine and specialized nurse practitioners (34.9%). Patient characteristics from HF units are widely different when comparing those in cardiology to UMIPIC, being the latter older, more frequently with preserved ejection fraction and higher comorbidity burden. Most HF units (73.5%) currently use a hybrid face-to-face/virtual model to perform patient follow-up. Natriuretic peptides are the biomarkers most commonly used (90%). All four disease-modifying drug classes are mainly implemented at the same time (85%). Only 24% of HF units hold fluent communication with primary care. CONCLUSIONS: Both models from cardiology and internal medicine HF units are complementary, they include specialized nursing, they use hybrid approach for patient follow-up and they display a high adherence to the latest guideline recommendations. Coordination with primary care remains as the major improvement area.

Particle size and cholesterol content of circulating HDL correlate with cardiovascular death in chronic heart failure.

Evidence regarding any association of HDL-particle (HDL-P) derangements and HDL-cholesterol content with cardiovascular (CV) death in chronic heart failure (HF) is lacking. To investigate the prognostic value of HDL-P size (HDL-Sz) and the number of cholesterol molecules per HDL-P for CV death in HF patients. Outpatient chronic HF patients were enrolled. Baseline HDL-P number, subfractions and HDL-Sz were measured using 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The HDL-C/P ratio was calculated as HDL-cholesterol over HDL-P. Endpoint was CV death, with non-CV death as the competing event. 422 patients were included and followed-up during a median of 4.1 (0-8) years. CV death occurred in 120 (30.5%) patients. Mean HDL-Sz was higher in CV dead as compared with survivors (8.39 nm vs. 8.31 nm, p < 0.001). This change in size was due to a reduction in the percentage of small HDL-P (54.6% vs. 60% for CV-death vs. alive; p < 0.001). HDL-C/P ratio was higher in the CV-death group (51.0 vs. 48.3, p < 0.001). HDL-Sz and HDL-C/P ratio were significantly associated with CV death after multivariable regression analysis (HR 1.22 [95% CI 1.01-1.47], p = 0.041 and HR 1.04 [95% CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.008 respectively). HDL-Sz and HDL-C/P ratio are independent predictors of CV death in chronic HF patients.