NYMC Faculty Publications

Heart Rate and Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

DOI

10.1016/j.jacc.2017.08.022

Journal Title

Journal of the American College of Cardiology

First Page

1861

Last Page

1871

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

October 2017

Department

Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A lower heart rate is associated with better outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (EF). Less is known about this association in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to examine associations of discharge heart rate with outcomes in hospitalized patients with HFpEF. METHODS: Of the 8,873 hospitalized patients with HFpEF (EF >/=50%) in the Medicare-linked OPTIMIZE-HF (Organized Program to Initiate Lifesaving Treatment in Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure) registry, 6,286 had a stable heart rate, defined as /=70 beats/min, balanced on 58 baseline characteristics. RESULTS: The 4,062 matched patients had a mean age of 79 +/- 10 years, 66% were women, and 10% were African American. During 6 years (median 2.8 years) of follow-up, all-cause mortality was 65% versus 70% for matched patients with a discharge heart rate /=70 beats/min, respectively (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80 to 0.93; p<0.001). A heart rate <70 beats/min was also associated with a lower risk for the combined endpoint of HF readmission or all-cause mortality (HR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.84 to 0.96; p = 0.002), but not with HF readmission (HR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.85 to 1.01) or all-cause readmission (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.08). Similar associations were observed regardless of heart rhythm or receipt of beta-blockers. CONCLUSIONS: Among hospitalized patients with HFpEF, a lower discharge heart rate was independently associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, but not readmission.

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