HEART FAILURE

Objectives: To identify factors which cause deterioration with worsening ofsymptoms in previously stable heart failure patients. Study design: Descriptive case seriesSetting: Gulab Devi Chest Hospital, Lahore. Duration: 01-04-2017 to 30-09-2017. Patientsand Methods: The study was done on 100 patients diagnosed with LV systolic dysfunctionor cardiomyopathy with LVEF<40%. Patients were examined regarding clinical signs ofdecompensation and detailed history was taken to probe the cause of decompensation. Allinformation was noted down on a pre-defined questionnaire. Mean ± S.D was applied forquantitative data like age and LVEF. Frequency (%) was used for qualitative data like gender.Results: Non compliance to drugs was the most common cause of decompensation (56%),amongst them 73.21% cases were noncompliant due to poor awareness about the importanceof continuing use of medicines. Infection was the second common precipitating factor(51%), where chest infection was the most common cause in 74.51% cases. Other causes ofdecompensation were ischaemia (28%), renal impairment (36%), and arrhythmias (23%) whilemore than one precipitating factors were found in 41% of cases. Conclusion: Multiple factorscan trigger deterioration in patients with previously stable heart failure. Recognition of thesefactors is important for good long term outcome in these patients.