Generalist and Cardiologist Care for Congestive Heart Failure
Authors: Sanjay Srivatsa
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Letters19 September 2000Generalist and Cardiologist Care for Congestive Heart FailureSanjay Srivatsa, MD, MRCP and Hamid R. Amjadi, DOSanjay Srivatsa, MD, MRCPCovenant Medical Center; Waterloo, IA 50702 (Srivatsa, Amjadi) and Hamid R. Amjadi, DOCovenant Medical Center; Waterloo, IA 50702 (Srivatsa, Amjadi)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-133-6-200009190-00021 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Auerbach and colleagues (1) postulate that the outcome of one episode of hospital care provided by a cardiologist or a generalist would cause significant differences in survival. Care patterns and costs differ radically between generalists and specialists, yet it is difficult to translate this into short-term survival differences. Nevertheless, survival probability curves indicate a divergence beyond 1 year that favors cardiologists. The accompanying editorial (2) emphasizes important end points of heart failure management: symptom control, readmissions, and use of life-improving or life-extending medications. Cardiologists have long emphasized the need for follow-up optimization of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic care ...References1. Auerbach AD, Hamel MB, Davis RB, Connors AF, Regueiro C, Desbiens N, et al . 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 Scholar2. Morris DL, Petruccelli DF. Congestive heart failure: who should provide care? [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 2000;132:238-9. LinkGoogle Scholar3. 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 Scholar4. 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 Scholar5. 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 Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Covenant Medical Center; Waterloo, IA 50702 (Srivatsa, Amjadi) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoCongestive Heart Failure: Who Should Provide Care? D. Lynn Morris and Donna F. Petruccelli Resource 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 Andrew D. Auerbach , Russell S. Phillips , and Mary Beth Hamel Generalist and Cardiologist Care for Congestive Heart Failure M.A. Nurhussein Metrics Cited ByCare and Outcomes of Patients Newly Hospitalized for Heart Failure in the Community Treated by Cardiologists Compared With Other Specialists 19 September 2000Volume 133, Issue 6Page: 481-482KeywordsDecision makingEjection fractionForecastingHeart failureHospitalizationsLongitudinal studiesPatient advocacyPatientsPerceptionQuality of life ePublished: 19 September 2000 Issue Published: 19 September 2000 CopyrightCopyright © 2000 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...