Effectiveness of guideline-consistent heart failure drug prescriptions at hospital discharge on 1-year mortality: Results from the EPICAL2 cohort study

Eur J Intern Med. 2018 May:51:53-60. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2017.12.005. Epub 2018 Jan 2.

Abstract

Background: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of recommended drug prescriptions at hospital discharge on 1-year mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFREF).

Materials and methods: We used data from the EPICAL2 cohort study. HF patients ≥18years old with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% and alive at discharge were included and followed up for mortality. Socio-demographic, clinical and therapeutic data were collected at admission. Therapeutic data were collected at discharge and at 6month. Prescription of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor (or an angiotensin II receptor blocker [ARB] in case of ACE inhibitor intolerance) and a β-blocker at discharge were considered "guideline-consistent discharge prescription" (GCDP). A frailty Cox model after propensity score (PS) matching was used to assess the association of GCDP with survival.

Results: Among 624 patients included, the mean (SD) age was 73.6 (12.8) years; 65% were male. A total of 412 (65.6%) patients received GCDP, and 82.8% still had guideline consistent prescription at 6months. A total of 166 patients died during the follow-up, 78 in the GCDP group and 88 in the other group. Before PS matching, patients with GCDP were younger (|StDiff|=48.32%) and had higher body mass index (BMI) (|StDiff|=11.71%), lower LVEF (|StDiff|=23.13%) and lower Charlson index (|StDiff|=55.27%) than patients without GCDP. After PS matching, all characteristics were balanced between the two treatment groups, and GCDP was associated with reduced mortality (pooled HR=0.51, 95% CI [0.35-0.73]).

Conclusion: Prescription of ACE (or ARB) inhibitors and β-blockers for patients with HFREF may be low despite the evidence for morbidity and mortality improvement with these medications but remains associated with reduced 1-year mortality in unselected HFREF patients.

Keywords: Chronic disease management; Clinical practice guidelines; Pharmacoepidemiology.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / therapeutic use
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / therapeutic use
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Drug Prescriptions / standards*
  • Female
  • France / epidemiology
  • Guideline Adherence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Heart Failure / drug therapy*
  • Heart Failure / mortality*
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Discharge / statistics & numerical data
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Propensity Score
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Stroke Volume
  • Ventricular Function, Left

Substances

  • Adrenergic beta-Antagonists
  • Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors