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Helping our patients entails communicating about their health and understanding their challenges in comprehension. Many of our patients suffer from functional disabilities, such as hearing loss, that may interfere with our ability to communicate effectively with them. Such a disability might be obvious in only some patients. As a start in determining the prevalence of hearing loss, investigators examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on people aged ≥70 who were asked to self-report heart failure (HF). Respondents were tested for hearing, and hearing ability was classified according to WHO criteria.
The prevalence of hearing loss among patients with HF was 74%; for those without HF, it was 63%. Older age, less education, and exposure to loud noise were associated with a greater likelihood of hearing loss. The investigators estimated that 2.4 million people with heart failure in the U.S. will have hearing loss by 2020.
Sterling MR et al. Hearing loss among older adults with heart failure in the United States: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2018 Jan 25; [e-pub]. (https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2017.2979)
Comment
These results remind us about the high prevalence of hearing loss in older adults, particularly those with HF. We may speak, but some of our patients might not hear us well. We should be documenting hearing status in as many patients as we can — and should routinely confirm that people can hear us. Without hearing, they certainly cannot understand. As the authors note, we may also want to start exploring whether furosemide, a potentially ototoxic HF medication, is contributing in any way.