Patients with Heart Failure Overestimate Their Life Expectancies

Findings from a small study suggest that patients’ expectations often are not in line with their prognoses.

Clinicians know that heart failure is a disease with poor outcomes. But do we know whether patients with heart failure understand their condition, and what their expectations about survival are? In this study, investigators surveyed 122 stable heart failure patients at a single center to determine their health status, circumstances, and perceptions about survival. These perceptions were then compared with survival as predicted by the Seattle Heart Failure Model (SHFM).

Overall, the SHFM predicted a median survival of 10 years (range, 2.0–25.2), whereas patients predicted a median survival of 13 years (range, 1–54). In general, patients overestimated their life expectancies by 40%, according to the SHFM. Predictors of overestimation included …

Reviewing Author

JoAnne M. Foody, MD, FACC, FAHA

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

JoAnne M. Foody, MD, FACC, FAHA

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

Patients with Heart Failure Overestimate Their Life Expectancies

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Reviewing Author