Heart failure
Conditions
Interventions
Training of general practitioners in up-titration of heart failure medication. General practitioners in the intervention group will receive a single training of 2 hours from a cardiologist. The uptitr
Sponsors
University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU)
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Age 65 years or over; 2. Shortness of breath as reason for GP contact in the previous 12 months.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Already established heart failure, that is a diagnosis of heart failure confirmed by the cardiologist with echocardiography; 2. A life expectancy shorter than 6 months; 3. Not being able to give informed consent.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The primary outcome of the diagnostic part of our combined diagnostic-therapeutic strategy is: 1. Prevalence of 'systolic' and 'diastolic' heart failure in elderly who presented to the general practitioner with shortness of breath on exertion. The primary outcomes of the therapeutic part of our combined diagnostic-therapeutic strategy are: 1. Differences in prescription of ACE-inhibitors and beta-blockers between the intervention and control group after 6 months follow-up; 2. Differences in quality of life between patients in the two groups after 6 months follow-up. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Differences in heart failure related doctor-appointments and hospitalization rates between the intervention and control group during 6 months follow-up; 2. Cost-effectiveness of the implemented diagnostic-therapeutic strategy. | — |
Contacts
Public ContactEvelien E.S. Riet, van
Stratenum 5.143
Outcome results
None listed