Pharmacists' role in the care of patients with heart failure: review and future evolution.

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) affects approximately 5 million Americans. Whether the problem is chronic HF or acute management of patients with episodes of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), HF has proven to be a huge economic burden, with annual direct and indirect health care costs currently exceeding $34.4 billion. Annual incidence rates are continuing to climb, with current statistics revealing 550,000 new cases every year, in addition to significant morbidity and mortality rates associated with multiple rehospitalization. HF patients, even if stable and compliant with their current HF medication regimen, can quickly transition to an acute decompensated state at any time. Prevention of readmissions has become a national priority, and there is a growing fiscal incentive for health care institutions to develop strategies to smooth the transition from hospital to home and to provide more effective ambulatory HF treatment to keep patients out of the hospital. A multidisciplinary approach to management of this patient population has clearly provided an improvement in clinical outcomes. Pharmacists are important members of this multidisciplinary team. This article reviews the current documented role of pharmacists in the care of HF patients and discusses the future evolution of pharmacists’ role as the nation continues to develop innovative strategies in managing HF patients.