CLINICAL DEMONSTRATION OF PATIENTS ADMITTED WITH HEART FAILURE IN PUNJAB INSTITUTE OF CARDIOLOGY, LAHORE

Background: Heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome that results from abnormalities in the structure and / or function of the heart (hereditary or acquired) that impair the ability of the left ventricle to fill or eject blood. The global incidence and incidence of heart failure (HF) is approaching epidemic proportions, as evidenced by the continuing increase in hospitalizations for HF, the rising number of HF-related deaths, and the rising cost of caring for patients with HF. Worldwide, HF affects nearly 23 million people. In the United States, HF affects approximately 4.7 million people (1.5 to 2 percent of the total population), and approximately 550,000 cases of HF are diagnosed annually. Patients with heart failure have different symptoms and a different etiology. The aim of this study was therefore to get acquainted with various clinical pictures of hospitalized patients with heart failure.

Methods: The present study was conducted to review the clinical presentation of heart failure patients admitted to the Cardiology department of Punjab Institute of Cardiology Lahore for three-year duration from August 2017 to August 2020. A total of 2,112 patients were enrolled in this study.

Results: The majority of patients (65%) belonged to the 51-70 age group. 75% (1,584) of patients were male. 98% of patients reported SOB, 95% of patients had a basilar pancreas, 74% orthopnea, 59% paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND), 40% lower limb edema, and 25% elevated JVP. The mean heart rate was 85 beats / min, the mean systolic B.P. was 118 mmHg and the mean diastolic B.P. was 73 mm Hg. 45% of the population had hypertension, 29% had diabetes, and 27% had comorbid respiratory disease. The mean EF was 38%. Ischemic cardiomyopathy was the most common (39%) cause of heart failure, acute coronary syndrome was the second most common cause (29%) and valvular heart disease was the third most common cause.

Conclusion: Most patients with heart failure are elderly. Most patients experienced shortness of breath and bilateral basal combs. Most patients have comorbidities that affect the natural course of patients with heart failure. The most common causes include ischemic cardiomyopathy following an ischemic heart injury. Therefore, patients with acute or chronic ischemic heart disease should be treated and monitored, also taking into account their socioeconomic status.

Key words: clinical picture, heart failure, hospitalized patients.