Differences in health care use and outcomes by the timing of in-hospital worsening heart failure.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients hospitalized with acute heart failure may experience worsening symptoms requiring escalation of therapy. In-hospital worsening heart failure is associated with worse in-hospital and postdischarge outcomes, but associations between the timing of worsening heart failure and outcomes are unknown.

Methods

Using data from a large clinical registry linked to Medicare claims, we examined characteristics, outcomes, and costs of patients hospitalized for acute heart failure. We defined in-hospital worsening heart failure by the use of inotropes or intravenous vasodilators or initiation of mechanical circulatory support, hemodialysis, or ventilation. The study groups were early worsening heart failure (n = 1,990), late worsening heart failure (n = 4,223), complicat

SUBMITTER: Cooper LB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4684593 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature