Heart failure therapy in new onset heart failure versus chronic heart failure: an analysis of 90,383 patients from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry (SwedeHF)

Abstract

Abstract Background The period after newly diagnosed heart failure (HF) presents challenges in HF management. Although recent HF guidelines recommend immediate initiation of HF therapies, little is known about real life HF therapy. Purpose We analyzed differences in treatment management in patients with new onset and chronic HF across the ejection fraction (EF) spectrum in the large nationwide Swedish HF registry. Methods In patients enrolled 2000–2018 in the Swedish HF registry, clinical characteristics, co-morbidities, laboratory values and use of therapy were analyzed in all HF patients with new onset HF (HF duration <3 months from diagnosis) and chronic HF (HF duration ≥3 months from diagnosis). Additionally, therapy use was studied separately for patients with HFrEF (defined as EF <40%). Results Of 90,383 patients, 40% had new onset and 60% had chronic HF. Patients with new onset HF were more likely females (42 vs. 37%) compared to chronic HF. They had lower NYHA class, with higher EF, less often had atrial fibrillation (46 vs. 60%) and left bundle branch block (14 vs. 21%). They more often had hypertension (31 vs. 24%), and less often ischemic heart disease (34 vs. 44%), dilated cardiomyopathy (4.1 vs. 8.1%) and known alcoholic cardiomyopathy (0.6 vs. 0.8) as cause of HF. Chronic HF was associated with worse renal function (eGFR 58 [41, 77] vs. 69 [51, 87] mL/min/1.73 m2) and higher co-morbidity burden. Overall, new onset HF were less often on beta-blockers (85 vs. 88%) and MRAs (26 vs. 40%), whereas patients with chronic HF more often received HF medication and HF related device therapy. Patients with new onset HFrEF and thus with an indication for guidelines directed medical therapies were more often treated with beta-blockers (93 vs. 92%), ACE/ARB (91 vs. 83%), but less often ARNi (2.5 vs. 16%) and device therapy. Conclusions In this large HF population, patients with new onset HF were more often females, with less severe HF symptoms, and with fewer co-morbidities; New onset HF was associated with less MRA use. Our findings implies that faster and concomitant HF therapy initiation as recommended in 2021 ESC HF/HFA guidelines should occur in new onset HF patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.