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The European Society of Cardiology

Epidemiology and economic burden of chronic heart failure

Andreas Bundkirchen and Robert H.G Schwinger*

Laboratory of Muscle Research and Molecular Cardiology, Clinic III of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany

Received 3 May 2004; accepted 24 May 2004.

* Robert H.G. Schwinger, Laboratory of Muscle Research and Molecular Cardiology, Clinic III of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany Joseph–Stelzmann–Strasse 9, 50924 Köln, Germany. Tel.: +49-221-478-3138; fax: +49-221-478-3746
robert.schwinger{at}medizin.uni-koeln.de

Abstract

Chronic heart failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population. Both, the increasing age of the population and success in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction rise the prevalence and thus the economic expenditures of chronic heart failure. This holds true despite recent improvement in survival of patients with congestive heart failure due to treatment with ACE inhibitors, ß-adrenoceptor blockers and aldosterone antagonists. Chronic heart failure consumes 1–2% of the total healthcare resources in the industrialised countries with increasing tendency in future. The most effective approach for preventing heart failure is an improvement in diagnosis and consequent treatment of arterial hypertension. Evidence based treatment of congestive heart failure is both effective in lowering morbidity and mortality as well as cost-effective from an economic point of view.

Key Words: Heart failure • Epidemiology • Economics


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