INPATIENT BURDEN OF HEART FAILURE IN THE CARDIOLOGY UNITS OF TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS IN PESHAWAR

Abstract

Peshawar, ** Cardiology Department, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar

Background: Recent evidence from studies based in the general population, general practice and hospital suggest that an epidemic of heart failure is emerging both in the developed and the developing countries. The present study was carried out to estimate the in-patient burden of heart failure in the cardiology units of the two main tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar (HMC and LRH) over the last 3 years. Methods: A clinical audit was carried out in which the data from 2008 to 2010 was retrieved from the database of the cardiology departments of both LRH and HMC Peshawar. The data was analyzed on yearly basis to calculate the total number of admissions, the frequency of admissions with the primary diagnosis of heart failure and the duration of hospital stay at each admission. Results: The total admissions into the cardiology unit in HMC were 3502 in 2008, 4235 in 2009 and 5112 in 2010. Out of these, admissions with the diagnosis of Heart Failure constituted 14.75%, 19.32% and 22.87% respectively. The average duration of hospital stay of the patients was 4.97 (1 to 7) days, 4.29 (1 to 12) days and 3.83 (1 to 18) days respectively.  The admissions into cardiology department of LRH with the diagnosis of Heart Failure constituted 17.25%, 21.22% and 22.35% of the total admissions 9200 in 2008, 10,685 in 2009 and 11,475 in 2010. The average duration of hospital stay of the patients was 2.78 (1 to 5) days, 2.35 (1 to 5) days and 2.09 (1 to 7) days respectively. Conclusion: There is an increasing trend seen in the presentation of heart failure to the cardiology units along with an increasing bed occupancy rate. This implies an escalating trend in hospitalisation costs of heart failure management, necessitating serious consideration for some drastic steps for controlling the ever-growing epidemic of heart failure.