Prevalence of Heart Failure Patients Admitted in the Winter and Other Seasons in a Tertiary Care Hospital Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: As a leading global cause of death and disability, heart failure places a significant strain on the healthcare system. It has been observed that in some countries, there is a seasonal increase in the number of people admitted to hospitals with heart failure during winter. However, there is a dearth of population-based statistics for Southeast Asia and Bangladesh. with regards to this subject. Objective: To determine the number of patients with heart failure admitted during the winter and other seasons in Bangladesh's tertiary care hospitals. Materials and Methods: This study used a cross-sectional, observational design. The study was carried out at the Cardiology Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). The research took place over the course of a year, from April 2015 to March 2016. Patients with heart failure who are admitted to the DMCH's Cardiology Department constitute the study population. This study made use of a systematic sampling strategy. All 584 patients who visited the hospital's cardiology department were counted. Patients' demographics, medical histories, symptoms, and test results were recorded on a standard data collection form. The statistical software package SPSS 22.0 was used to analyze the data (Statistical Package for Social Science). Results: Heart failure patients were most prevalent in the 41 to 60 age group, with 74.3% being men and 25.7% being women. The winter season saw the largest number of patient admissions (n=207, 35.5%). Compared to other seasons, the winter had higher concentrations of all risk variables. It is statistically significant, with the exception of thyroid issues and dyslipidemia (p-values of <0.222, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, and <0.006). Conclusion: General practitioners might learn how to handle heart failure patients' responses to the cold and hone their abilities in this area. This research may also be useful for modifying the wintertime accessibility of hospital resources like emergency rooms.