Congestive Heart Failure: Who Should Provide Care?
Authors: D. Lynn Morris, Donna F. Petruccelli
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Editorials1 February 2000Congestive Heart Failure: Who Should Provide Care?D. Lynn Morris, MD and Donna F. Petruccelli, RN, MSN, CRNPD. Lynn Morris, MDFrom Lehigh Valley Hospital; Allentown, PA 18103Search for more papers by this author and Donna F. Petruccelli, RN, MSN, CRNPFrom Lehigh Valley Hospital; Allentown, PA 18103Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-132-3-200002010-00011 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Chronic congestive heart failure with left ventricular systolic dysfunction has become a major health care challenge, both clinically and economically (1, 2). Clinically, congestive heart failure is a complex, heterogeneous disease process that afflicts more than 4.7 million patients in the United States, and more than 400 000 cases are newly diagnosed each year. The 6-year mortality rate associated with congestive heart failure approaches 80% in men and 60% in women. The impact of this disease on a patient's ability to maintain usual daily activities can be devastating. An estimated $38 billion is spent annually on care for congestive heart ...References1. Konstam MA, Dracup K, Baker DW, Bottorff MB, Brooks NH, Dacey RA. Heart Failure: Evaluation and Care of Patients with Left-Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research; 1994. Google Scholar2. American College of Cardiology. Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Heart Failure. Circulation. 1995;92:2764-84. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. The Task Force on Heart Failure of the European Society of Cardiology. Guidelines for the diagnosis of heart failure. Eur Heart J. 1995;16:741-51. MedlineGoogle Scholar4. Task Force of the Working Group on Heart Failure of the European Society of Cardiology. Treatment of heart failure. Eur Heart J. 1997;18:736-53. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. Edep ME, Shah NB, Tateo IM, Massie BM. Differences between primary care physicians and cardiologists in management of congestive heart failure: relation to practice guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1997;30:518-26. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Reis SE, Holubkov R, Edmundowicz D, McNamara DM, Zell KA, Detre KM, et al . Treatment of patients admitted to the hospital with congestive heart failure: specialty related disparities in practice patterns and outcomes. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1997;30:733-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Fonarow GC, Stevenson LW, Walden JA, Livingston NA, Steimle AE, Hamilton MA, et al . Impact of a comprehensive heart failure management program on hospital readmission and functional status of patients with advanced heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1997;30:725-32. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. 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Resource use and survival of patients hospitalized with congestive heart failure: differences in care by specialty of the attending physician. Ann Intern Med. 2000;132:191-200. LinkGoogle Scholar13. Smith LE, Fabbri SA, Pai R, Ferry D, Heywood JT. Symptomatic improvement and reduced hospitalization for patients attending a cardiomyopathy clinic. Clin Cardiol. 1997;20:949-54. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar14. Rich MW, Nease RF. Cost-effectiveness analysis in clinical practice: the case of heart failure. Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:1690-700. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Lehigh Valley Hospital; Allentown, PA 18103Corresponding Author: D. Lynn Morris, MD, The Heart Care Group, 3340 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, PA 18103.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Morris and Ms. Petruccelli: The Heart Care Group, 3340 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, PA 18103. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoResource Use and Survival of Patients Hospitalized with Congestive Heart Failure: Differences in Care by Specialty of the Attending Physician Andrew D. Auerbach , Mary Beth Hamel , Roger B. Davis , Alfred F. Connors Jr. , Carol Regueiro , Norman Desbiens , Lee Goldman , Robert M. Califf , Neal V. Dawson , Neil Wenger , Humberto Vidaillet , Russell S. Phillips , and Generalist and Cardiologist Care for Congestive Heart Failure Sanjay Srivatsa and Hamid R. Amjadi Metrics Cited ByAssociation of consultation between generalists and cardiologists with quality and outcomes of heart failure careMedicina Interna y enfermedades prevalentes. El caso de la insuficiencia cardíacaGeneralist and Cardiologist Care for Congestive Heart FailureSanjay Srivatsa, MD, MRCP and Hamid R. Amjadi, DO 1 February 2000Volume 132, Issue 3Page: 238-239KeywordsCatheterizationHeart diseasesHeart failureHospitalizationsInpatientsLesionsLongitudinal studiesOutpatientsPatientsPopulation statistics Issue Published: 1 February 2000 CopyrightCopyright © 2000 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...