Impact of heart failure management unit on heart failure-related readmission rate and mortality.

Background: Heart failure is the leading cause of hospital admissions and an economic burden. In accordance with European guidelines, a dedicated heart failure unit was created in René Dubos Hospital (Pontoise, France) in 2002.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of an in-hospital heart failure management unit on heart failure prognosis.

[Perception and understanding chronic heart failure by the patient. The impact of therapeutic education on the level of knowledge of patients. About 350 cases].

Unlabelled: Heart failure is a severe disease with a poor prognosis despite major therapeutic progresses achieved recently. A key factor is the high number of hospitalizations for heart failure, considered as being avoidable, since they are related to a lack of adequate management of the patients. Several therapeutic education programs focused on heart failure are in progress.

[Prediction of intolerance to beta blocker therapy in chronic heart failure patients using BNP].

Beta-blocker therapy is actually recommended as first line therapy for systolic heart failure. However, beta-blocker have a low prescription rate comparatively to ACEI. Beta-blocker potential side effects as bradycardia, hypotension and especially acute decompensation could explain this under prescription.

[Clinical research in community hospitals in France].

Medical research is an important part of medical art. From Hippocratis to hypothesis ..

[Educating patients about heart failure in community hospitals: it is possible...].

Prognosis for heart failure is linked to patient's compliance. Compliance is also dependent from patient education about his disease and treatment. Therapeutic education could be done in a community hospital but needs a lot of time.