(May 4, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

Early follow-up of individuals who are hospitalized for heart failure can reduce the risk that they will need to be hospitalized again within a month, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Here is some information about heart failure:

•    It is a condition in which the heart is not strong enough to pump blood effectively throughout the body

•    It occurs when the heart becomes weakened or damaged from heart attacks or other medical conditions

•    Symptoms include tiredness, shortness of breath, swelling, and very sudden weight gain

Researchers from Duke University School of Medicine in Durham looked at the association between the follow-up of over 30,000 individuals aged 65 or older after they were hospitalized for heart failure and the need to readmit these individuals within a month. Over 200 hospitals participated in the study.

Just over one-fifth of the patients needed a second hospitalization within a month. The hospitals themselves varied considerably with respect to how quickly and closely they followed their patients after discharging them, but most participants did not see a physician within a week of leaving the hospital. The readmission rate within 30 days was 23% among hospitals with the poorest follow-up procedures, while it was 20 to 21% among the remaining hospitals.

We spoke with Dr. Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS, one of the investigator's of this study, who offered some further insight.

Today’s research suggests that if hospitals tighten their follow-up of discharged heart failure patients, they can reduce early readmission rates.