A Comparison of One-Year Outcome in Adult Patients
with Heart Failure in Two Medical
Results : Heart
Failure Clinic and Daily Physician Practice
Anek Kanoksilp MD*, Kriengkrai Hengrussamee MD*, Punsak Wuthiwaropas MD**
Affiliation : * Department of Cardiology, Chest Disease Institute, Nonthaburi, Thailand ** Bangkok Christian Hospital, Thailand
Objective : To compare between adult patients with heart failure after hospital discharge in a heart failure
clinic and daily practice in terms of survival, readmission rate, and quality of life.
Material and Method: The authors followed 100 patients who received care in the heart failure clinic (n = 50)
or the usual care (n = 50) for twelve months.
Results : During follow-up, patients in the heart failure clinic group had fewer readmissions (12 vs. 23;
p = 0.04). There were eight deaths in the control group and seven deaths in the heart failure clinic group
(p = 0.45). At the end of the present study, mean left ventricular ejection fraction, mean distance of 6-minute
walk test, and mean quality of life scores in the treatment group improved more than in the control group
(p = 0.038; 0.032; 0.048, respectively).
Conclusion : The heart failure clinic reduces hospital readmission and improves cardiac function and quality
of life for heart failure patients.
Keywords : Exercise test, Heart failure, Patient readmission, Quality of life, Stroke volume, Survival, Ventricular function, Left, Walking
