Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School focused on cases of heart failure in residents of the Worcester, Massachusetts metropolitan area.
The study found heart failure is an important clinical syndrome affecting residents of the Worchester area. Researchers believe by conducting population-based studies of heart failure occurances, several groups at high risk for development can be identified and targeted for preventive efforts and treatment options.
The study collected medical and personal information of 2,548 adult men and women of all ages hospitalized during the year 2000 for possible heart failure at all 11 greater Worcester medical centers.
The incidence rate (per 100,000) of heart failure was 213. Occurrence of acute failure increased significantly with age and women were at greater risk than men (incidence rates [per 100 000] = 246 and 189, respectively).
In the article, senior investigator Robert J. Goldberg, PhD, states, "Our findings ... argue for the importance of population-based registries for the more systematic study of this clinical syndrome. These community-wide surveillance projects need to be developed and maintained for long periods of time to provide timely and ongoing insights to the effective primary and secondary prevention of this serious clinical problem."
