Euro Heart Failure I 

Expert committee

John Cleland, Chairperson
M. Komajda, E. Boersma, A. Cohen-Solal, J. Cosin-Aguilar, R. Dietz, J. Easthaugh, F. Follath, N. Freemantle, A. Gavazzi, R. Hobbes, J. Korewicki, H. Madeira da Costa, J. Mason, K. Swedberg, W. van Gilst, J. Widimsky

Protocol Summary

The Euro Heart Survey on Heart Failure and Ventricular Dysfunction was designed to investigate heart failure and ventricular dysfunction in high risk groups (e.g. patients hospitalised with myocardial infarction or arrhythmias) regardless of cause.
This was a prospective study screening all admissions to hospital with heart failure or, recognising that a diagnosis of heart failure is often initially overlooked, patients groups at high risk of developing heart failure such as those with cardiac chest pain, breathlessness regardless of cause or arrhythmias. The hospital course of these patients were followed to determine whether key investigations were performed and appropriate therapy considered.

Objectives of the survey:

• Quantification of disease activity for heart failure in terms of admissions, duration of stay and utilisation of resources.
• Determine whether patients who have heart failure or suspected heart failure are receiving the appropriate diagnostic tests according to European guidelines.
• Determine whether patients with heart failure are administered appropriate treatment according to European guidelines and how that is related to the adequacy of diagnosis.
• Ascertain the patient’s level of education regarding their condition.
• Ascertain the unmet needs of patients with heart failure from their own perspective.

• Many of the recommended basic investigations were done, but echocardiography was performed less frequently than expected.
• In accordance with guidelines, the majority of heart failure patients with LVSD received an ACE-inhibitor, but betablockers were prescribed in only half of these patients.
• Even in trial eligible patients, betablockers were prescribed in half of the patients, and the recommended dose was prescribed in a small minority only.
  The application of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures varied largely between hospitals.
• Guidelines are mainly based on clinical trials in heart failure patients with LVSD, but almost half of the enrolled patients did not have LVSD.

The Main Manuscript reporting the results of this survey was published in Euro Heart Journal.

Review all Euro Heart Survey publications on Heart Failure.