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Evaluating the overall health status of patients with heart failure might help determine their risks for adverse outcomes and costly care.

In patients with heart failure, poor patient-reported health status (symptom burden, physical function, and health-related quality of life) is associated with adverse outcomes, including hospitalization and mortality. However, the relation of health status to cost of care in this population is poorly understood.

These investigators studied the costs of caring for 1516 patients enrolled in the quality-of-life substudy of EPHESUS, a randomized controlled trial of the aldosterone antagonist eplerenone. All participants had been hospitalized for MI and had LV systolic dysfunction and clinical heart failure. The investigators administered the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) 1 month after hospitalization and categorized patients’ h…

Reviewing Author

Frederick A. Masoudi, MD, MSPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBristol Myers Squibb; CPC Clinical Research

Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Editorial BoardsUpToDate; American College of Cardiology Self-Assessment Program (SAP)

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican College of Cardiology (Chair, Innovations Committee)