Discharge treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker after a heart failure hospitalisation is associated with a better prognosis irrespective of left ventricular ejection fraction.

Background: Medical therapy could improve the prognosis of real-life patients discharged after a heart failure (HF) hospitalisation.

Aim: To determine the impact of discharge HF treatment on mortality and readmissions in different left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) groups.

Methods: Multicentre prospective registry in 20 Spanish hospitals. Patients were enrolled after a HF hospitalisation.

Results: A total of 1831 patients was included (583 (31.8%) HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF); 227 (12.4%) HF with midrange ejection fraction (HFmrEF); 610 (33.3%) HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and 411 (22.4%) with unknown LVEF). Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) at discharge were independently associated with a reduction in: (i) all-cause mortality: hazard ratio (HR) 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41-0.74, P < 0.001, with a similar effect in the four groups; (ii) mortality due to refractory HF HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.29-0.64, P < 0.001, with a similar effect in the three groups with known LVEF; (iii) mortality/HF admissions (HR 0.61; 95% CI: 0.50-0.74), more evident in HFrEF (HR 0.54; 95% CI: 0.38-0.78) compared with HRmEF (HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.40-1.02), or HFpEF (HR 0.70; 95% CI 0.53-0.92). In patients with HFrEF triple therapy (ACE inhibitor/ARB + beta blocker + mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist) was associated with the lowest mortality risk (HR 0.21; 95% CI: 0.08-0.57, P = 0.002) compared with patients that received none of these drugs.

Conclusions: Discharge treatment with ACE inhibitor/ARB after a HF hospitalisation is associated with a reduction in all-cause and refractory HF mortality, irrespective of LVEF.