The impact of age, clinical status, and population demographics on length of stay associated with heart failure admissions: A comparison of two hospitals

Abstract

at Christchurch Hospital with atrial fibrillation. Patient data was collected from clinical notes and the electronic record. CHADS2VA2Sc and HASBLED scores were calculated independently for each patient. Results: Among 100 patients [Males 66%, average age of 69 (16-87) years, median length of stay 2 (IQR 1-5) days] 78% had a history of prior AF and 73 presented with “acute” AF as the primary diagnosis. CHADS2VA2Sc score was explicitly documented for twenty patients, while HASBLED score was documented for none. The median CHADS2VA2Sc score was 3 (IQR 2-4) and eighty patients had CHA2DS2VASc 2. Four patients with CHA2DS2VASc 1 were discharged on warfarin or dabigatran with no other indication for oral anticoagulation. Twenty-two patients did not receive oral anticoagulation despite CHADS2VA2Sc score of 2. Conclusion: The majority of patients received appropriate anticoagulation; however a significant proportion received inappropriate anticoagulation without clear explanation. Explicit documentation of CHADS2VA2Sc and HASBLED score was infrequent. Our findings compare favourably with international registries, but indicate there is room for improvement.