Publications by authors named "Ana Belen Mecina"

Aims: To assess whether symptoms/signs of congestion and perfusion in acute heart failure (AHF) evaluated at patient arrival to the emergency department (ED) can predict the severity of decompensation and short-term outcomes.

Methods And Results: We included patients from the Epidemiology of AHF Emergency Registry (EAHFE Registry). We registered seven clinical surrogates of congestion and five of hypoperfusion.

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Aims: To analyze the frequency with which patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) discharged after an acute heart failure (AHF) episode are treated with antineurohormonal drugs (ANHD), the variables related to ANHD prescription and their relationship with outcomes.

Methods: We included consecutive HFpEF patients (left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%) discharged after an AHF episode from 45 Spanish hospitals whose chronic medications and treatment at discharge were available. Patients were classified according to whether they were discharged with or without ANHD, including beta-blockers (BB), renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system inhibitors (RAASi) and mineralcorticosteroid-receptor antagonists (MRA).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on how the length of hospitalisation (LOH) affects the outcomes of patients with acute heart failure (AHF) after they are discharged, comparing results across different hospital departments.
  • Out of 8,563 patients analyzed, 90-day outcomes showed that longer hospital stays led to higher post-discharge mortality rates, particularly for those staying over 15 days, but readmission rates remained constant regardless of LOH.
  • The research concluded that shorter hospital stays do not lead to worse outcomes, and higher mortality risks associated with longer stays were consistent across various hospital departments.
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