Characteristics and prescribed drug treatment in 179 patients with decompensated heart failure
| Characteristic | Patients (n) |
|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 75.4 (9.9) |
| Male/female | 93/86 (52%/48%) |
| Aetiology | |
| Coronary artery disease | 120 (67.0%) |
| Valvar disease | 26 (14.5%) |
| Hypertension | 104 (58.1%) |
| Idiopathic cardiomyopathy | 8 (3.4%) |
| Previous admission for heart failure | 130 (72.6%) |
| Comorbidity | |
| Treated diabetes mellitus | 47 (26.3%) |
| Renal dysfunction1-150 | 29 (16.2%) |
| New York Heart Association class | |
| II | 16 (8.9%) |
| III | 59 (33.0%) |
| IV | 104 (58.1%) |
| Admission chest xray | |
| Pulmonary oedema | 29 (16.2%) |
| Pulmonary congestion | 150 (83.8%) |
| Admission physical examination of lungs | |
| No rales or rales < ½ lung fields | 28 (15.6%) |
| Rales > ½ lung fields | 151 (84.4%) |
| Drugs prescribed | |
| Digitalis | 117 (65.4%) |
| Loop diuretics | 119 (66.4%) |
| Thiazide diuretics | 38 (21.2%) |
| Total diuretics | 141 (78.7%) |
| Nitrates | 77 (43.0%) |
| ACE inhibitors | 86 (48.0%) |
| β Blockers | 12 (6.7%) |
| Calcium antagonists | 60 (33.5%) |
| Antiarrhythmics | 7 (3.9%) |
| Coumarin | 31 (17.3%) |
| Treatment with digitalis/diuretic/ACE inhibitor | |
| Monotherapy | 43 (24.0%) |
| Double therapy | 71 (39.6%) |
| Triple therapy | 53 (29.6%) |
| None | 12 (6.7%) |
| Mean (SD) sodium (mmol/l) | 139 (4) |
| Electrocardiography | |
| Not in sinus rhythm | 59 (33.0%) |
| Current smoker | 19 (10.6%) |
| Heavy alcohol abuse | 2 (1.1%) |
↵1-150 Plasma creatinine > 133 μmol/l.
ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme.