Vascular Health and Risk Management (Sep 2021)
Clinical Characteristics and In-Hospital Outcome of Acute Heart Failure Patients Admitted to the Medical Ward of University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia
Abstract
Masho Tigabe,1 Abaynesh Fentahun,1 Solomon Getawa,2 Kassahun Alemu Gelaye,3 Eyob Alemayehu Gebreyohannes1,4 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Department of Hematology and Immunohematology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 4Division of Pharmacy, School of Allied Health, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, AustraliaCorrespondence: Solomon GetawaDepartment of Hematology and Immunohematology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, EthiopiaTel +251 914-665-736Email [email protected]: Despite the growing burden of heart failure in developing countries, data describing the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of acute heart failures are limited. Therefore, this study aimed at describing the clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of acute heart failure patients admitted to the medical ward of University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.Methods: A prospective observational hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 226 patients with acute heart failure at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from November 2019 to October 2020. Data were collected by using a pretested data abstraction format and analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression model were fitted to identify factors associated with in-hospital outcome and reported with 95% confidence interval (CI). P-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: The mean (± standard deviation) age of the study participant was 51.17± 19.03 years and 59.3% were females. Majority, 60.6% of patients were admitted with new onset heart failure. Dyspnea (88.05%) and peripheral edema (80.5%) were the most frequent clinical findings. The in-hospital mortality was 10.6% (95% CI: 7.1– 14.7). Atrial fibrillation (AOR=9.46; 95% CI: 1.49– 60.29), concurrent ischemic heart disease (AOR=8.23; 95% CI: 1.15– 58.89), being admitted with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (AOR=5.36; 95% CI: 2.81– 35.52), presence of orthopnea (AOR=6.63; 95% CI: 2.94– 46.76), and using intranasal oxygen therapy (AOR=9.41; 95% CI: 1.35– 65.82) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with acute heart failure.Conclusion: The in-hospital mortality of acute heart failure patients was relatively higher in the study area. Therefore, specific preventative and therapeutic strategies focusing on heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease, orthopnea, and intranasal oxygen therapy are required to reduce the mortality rate.Keywords: heart failure, clinical characteristics, in-hospital mortality, Ethiopia
