The burden of heart failure in North America and Western Europe.

Background

We depict the burden of heart failure (HF) in North America (NA) and Western Europe (WE), using a cyclical flow diagram of patients from diagnosis/hospitalization until treatment, stabilization and decompensation/death. Materials & methods: We obtained data on HF hospitalizations, prevalence, severity and treatment from national databases and primary/secondary research.

Results

In 2020, we estimate 3.6 and 5.2 million HF hospitalizations, and 7.6 and 8.7 million diagnosed prevalent chronic HF (CHF) cases in NA and WE, respectively. All hospitalized HF and 86-88% of prevalent cases are drug-treated. The most widely prescribed drugs for CHF in NA and WE are β-blockers and loop diuretics, respectively.

Conclusion

The high burden of HF in NA and WE calls for greater efforts to prevent ischemic heart disease.