BACKGROUND: @entity712 is a frequent pathology that requires a high degree of hospitalization. These characteristics have a high assistance cost. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, @entity697 , predisposing factors and therapy carried out in @entity1 of a northeastern Italian town, and to evaluate their impact on health costs. METHODS: We have examined @entity1 under observation of the Department of Emergency at the Padua Hospital for 12 months. They had been hospitalized for @entity712 . They all underwent individual and pharmacological anamnesis, objective exam, ECG, thorax X-rays and echocardiogram. The health expenses were calculated in relation to hospital stay, the cost of daily assistance, exams and medical treatments used. RESULTS: 630 @entity1 of both sexes (422 males and 208 females) aged 74.6 +/- 6.1 were studied. Among significantly interrelated factors were: @entity101 in 51.4% of the @entity1 ; @entity6 in 9% of the @entity1 ; @entity1007 in 31.3% of the @entity1 ; @entity2298 in 7.2% of the @entity1 ; cigarettes smoking in 19.3% of the @entity1 , whereas @entity28 was present in 19.7% of all the subjects. @entity299 directly correlated with @entity712 were respectively: @entity741 (65.6%); hypertensive @entity13675 (14.7%); idiopathic dilatative (15%); and @entity340 (4.7%). In 9.5% of cases, @entity1 presented episodes of @entity4905 , ictus, or they were carriers of @entity16 . As far as NYHA functional class was concerned, the third was most prevalent with a different distribution (p < 0.05) between males and females. ACE inhibitors, digitalis and @entity460 antagonists are to be indicated among the most widely used drugs. The health cost for @entity1 in this survey was deduced on the basis of: average; hospitalization stay (9.8 days); estimated daily expenses for @entity1 and for further controls (L. 282,000); the area of users (85% of residents). Therefore the full hospital assistance of @entity1 with @entity712 is approximately L. 2.1 thousand millions. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high preponderance of @entity712 , the frequent relation with vascular risk factors and with @entity63 , further investigation is necessary to curb these high rates. On the other hand, the NYHA advanced state of @entity1 is not likely to allow lower costs in relation to hospital admission or the reduction of hospital stay. Nevertheless, the individualization of standardized therapeutic protocols and an adequate home care surveillance follow-up may reduce the number of hospitalizations and consequently the connected health expenses.

[Epidemiologic evaluation of XXXX and its impact on health costs].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity2298 :: ('MESH:D015228', 'Disease') :: ['hypertriglyceridemia'] @entity712 :: ('MESH:D006333', 'Disease') :: ['heart failure symptoms', 'Heart failure', 'heart failure'] @entity697 :: ('MESH:D000208', 'Disease') :: ['acuteness'] @entity101 :: ('MESH:D006973', 'Disease') :: ['hypertension'] @entity6 :: ('MESH:D003920', 'Disease') :: ['diabetes mellitus'] @entity1007 :: ('MESH:D006937', 'Disease') :: ['hypercholesterolemia'] @entity28 :: ('MESH:D009765', 'Disease') :: ['obesity'] @entity13675 :: ('MESH:C536187', 'Disease') :: ['cardiopathy'] @entity16 :: ('MESH:D009422', 'Disease') :: ['neurologic focal deficiencies'] @entity63 :: ('MESH:D007511', 'Disease') :: ['ischemic cardiopathy'] @entity4905 :: ('MESH:D002546', 'Disease') :: ['TIA'] @entity741 :: ('MESH:D017202', 'Disease') :: ['myocardial ischemia'] @entity299 :: ('MESH:D006331', 'Disease') :: ['Heart diseases'] @entity460 :: ('MESH:D002118', 'Chemical') :: ['calcium'] @entity340 :: ('MESH:D006349', 'Disease') :: ['valvular cardiopathy']
@entity299 :: (MESH:D006331,Disease) :: ['cardiac decompensation']
