Analysis Treatment Guideline versus Clinical Practice Protocol in Patients Hospitalized due to Heart Failure

• Published in: Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia 2016-03, Vol.106 (3), p.210-217
• Main Authors: Corrêa, Alessandra da Graça, Makdisse, Marcia, Katz, Marcelo, Santana, Thamires Campos, Yokota, Paula Kiyomi Onaga, Galvão, Tatiana de Fatima Gonçalves, Bacal, Fernando
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists - therapeutic use; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Brazil - epidemiology; CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS; Clinical Protocols - standards; Female; Guideline Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Heart Failure - drug therapy; Heart Failure - mortality; Hospital Mortality; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals - standards; Hospitals - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Indicadores de Qualidade em Assistência à Saúde; Insuficiência Cardíaca / terapia; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Pacientes Internados; Patient Discharge - statistics & numerical data; Prospective Studies; Protocolo; Quality Indicators, Health Care
• ISSN: 0066-782X; 1678-4170; 1678-4170
• DOI: 10.5935/abc.20160018

Despite the availability of guidelines for treatment of heart failure (HF), only a few studies have assessed how hospitals adhere to the recommended therapies. Compare the rates of adherence to the prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB) at hospital discharge, which is considered a quality indicator by the Joint Commission International, and to the prescription of beta-blockers at hospital discharge, which is recommended by national and international guidelines, in a hospital with a case management program to supervise the implementation of a clinical practice protocol (HCP) and another hospital that follows treatment guidelines (HCG). Prospective observational study that evaluated patients consecutively admitted to both hospitals due to decompensated HF between August 1st, 2006, and December 31st, 2008. We used as comparing parameters the prescription rates of beta-blockers and ACEI/ARB at hospital discharge and in-hospital mortality. We analyzed 1,052 patients (30% female, mean age 70.6 ± 14.1 years), 381 (36%) of whom were seen at HCG and 781 (64%) at HCP. The prescription rates of beta-blockers at discharge at HCG and HCP were both 69% (p = 0.458), whereas those of ACEI/ARB were 83% and 86%, respectively (p = 0.162). In-hospital mortality rates were 16.5% at HCP and 27.8% at HCG (p < 0.001). There was no difference in prescription rates of beta-blocker and ACEI/ARB at hospital discharge between the institutions, but HCP had lower in-hospital mortality. This difference in mortality may be attributed to different clinical characteristics of the patients in both hospitals.