Heart failure mortality among older Medicare beneficiaries: association with left ventricular function evaluation and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use.

Background: Left ventricular function evaluation and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor use are the two basic indicators of heart failure quality of care. In this retrospective follow-up study, we analyzed the association between these two quality indicators and mortality in elderly hospitalized heart failure patients.

Methods: The patients in our study were older Alabama Medicare beneficiaries discharged with a diagnosis of heart failure in 1994. Cox regression analyses, adjusted for various patient and care characteristics, were performed to estimate the overall mortality rate.

Results: The mean age of the 1,090 patients in our study was 79+/-7.5 years. Both left ventricular function evaluation (hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.705-0.976) and ACE inhibitor use (hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.655-0.905) were associated with a lower 3-year mortality rate. Adjustment for various patient and care characteristics did not alter these associations.

Conclusion: Left ventricular function evaluation and ACE inhibitor use were each associated with increased survival time in older Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure.