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Biomedical subjects

F Delahaye

Publications and source records attributed to F Delahaye.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Heart failure and myocardial infarction in the elderly. For its more specific management].

UNLABELLED: TWO NEGATIVE FACTORS: Heart failure, whether present during the first hours of myocardial infarction, whether it worsens or whether it occurs during the first days, or persists during the acute phase, is a highly unfavourable predictive factor of hospital mortality and mortality secondary to myocardial infarction. Furthermore, old age is the most negative predictive factor of late mortality following myocardial infarction. THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS: These two negative predictive elements that considerably enhance immediate and secondary mortality after myocardial infarction, notably when they are combined, require more specific and voluntary management (in terms of medical--thrombolysis, beta-blockers, CEI--and interventional treatments) in these patients. THE NEED TO EXTEND THE INDICATIONS: Since the efficacy of these medical treatments and myocardial revascularisation techniques (during the acute phase in the case of contraindication for thrombolysis or during the secondary phase) is even greater, in terms of immediate and secondary mortality after myocardial infarction in patients at high risk (elderly patients and those suffering from heart failure), it would appear essential to widen their indications to this group of patients in whom the spontaneous prognosis is worst.

Aged↗

[Worsening of heart failure during hospital course in myocardial infarction is a factor of poor prognosis. Apropos of a prospective cohort study of 2,507 patients hospitalized with myocardial infarction: the PRIMA study].

BACKGROUND: Worsening of heart failure in patients with myocardial infarction is seldom studied, elderly patients often are not included, and multivariate analysis is uncommon. AIMS: The prospective PRIMA study (Prise en charge de l'Infarctus du Myocarde Aigu; management of acute myocardial infarction) sought to determine the incidence of heart failure worsening, its risk factors, and its prognostic importance in patients with myocardial infarction, regardless of age and hospital facilities, in the "real world" in a region in France, using multivariate analysis. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected in all patients with myocardial infarction admitted in all hospitals in three departments in the Rhône-Alpes region in France between September 1, 1993 and January 31, 1995. RESULTS: Among 2,507 patients, 33% were in Killip classes II-IV at admission. Four hundred and sixteen patients (17%) had worsening of Killip class during the first five days. In-hospital mortality (overall: 14%) increased dramatically with Killip class at admission (9% in class I; 62% in class IV) and with worsening of Killip class during the first five days (36% vs 8% if no worsening). In multivariate analysis, older age, diabetes mellitus and anterior Q-wave myocardial infarction were significant predictors of Killip class at admission and of its worsening. The significant predictors of in-hospital mortality were older age, Killip class III at admission and worsening of Killip class during the first five days. CONCLUSION: This large, unselected cohort revealed that among patients with myocardial infarction, heart failure and its worsening are frequent, especially in the elderly, and dramatically worsen the in-hospital mortality.

Aged↗

[Epidemiology of heart insufficiency].

The epidemiology of congestive heart failure is not well known in France, despite its dramatic economic impact on the health care system. The number of patients with congestive heart failure is about 500,000 with 120,000 new cases per year. The incidence ranges from 4@1000 in men and 3@1000 in women 55-64 years old to 50@1000 in men and 85@1000 in women 85-94 years old. Mean age at onset is 73.5 years, and two thirds of the patients are older than 70 years of age. There are about 3,500,000 outpatient visits and 150,000 hospitalizations for congestive heart failure every year. It is responsible for more than 32,000 deaths every year. Costs of congestive heart failure represent more than 1% of the total medical costs. It represents a major and growing public health burden. This should encourage us to optimize its medical treatment and prevention.

Aged↗

Should we still perform angioplasty and stenting of an unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis in heart transplant patients? Two new cases and a review of the literature.

Coronary balloon angioplasty with stent implantation has emerged as a possible alternative to bypass grafting or repeat transplantation in left main coronary stenosis in heart transplant patients. We report 2 new cases of stent implantation for unprotected and isolated left main stenosis in heart transplant patients. Despite an initially successful procedure, restenosis prompted the performance of bypass surgery in both patients. The relative advantages and disadvantages of available techniques of revascularization are discussed in the context of the literature.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗

Worsening of heart failure during hospital course of an unselected cohort of 2507 patients with myocardial infarction is a factor of poor prognosis: the PRIMA study. Prise en charge de l'Infarctus du Myocarde Aigu.

Worsening of heart failure in patients with myocardial infarction is seldom studied, elderly patients often are not included, and multivariate analysis is uncommon. The prospective PRIMA study (Prise en charge de l'Infarctus du Myocarde Aigu; management of acute myocardial infarction) sought to determine the incidence of worsening heart failure, its risk factors, and its prognostic importance in patients with myocardial infarction, regardless of age and hospital facilities, in the 'real world' in a region in France, using multivariate analysis. Data were prospectively collected in all patients with myocardial infarction admitted in all hospitals in three departments in the Rhône--Alpes region in France between 1 September 1993 and 31 January 1995. Among the 2507 patients included, 33% were in Killip classes II--IV at admission. After exclusion of patients with admission Killip class IV, 416 patients (17% of the cohort, 24% of women and 14% of men) had worsening of Killip class during the first 5 days. In-hospital mortality (overall, 14%) increased dramatically with Killip class at admission (9% in class I, 62% in class IV) and with worsening of Killip class during the first 5 days (36.5 vs. 8.5% if no worsening). In multivariate analysis, older age, diabetes mellitus and anterior Q-wave myocardial infarction were significant predictors of Killip class at admission and of its worsening; Killip class >I at admission was a significant predictor of Killip-class worsening. The significant predictors of in-hospital mortality were older age, Killip class III at admission and worsening of Killip class during the first 5 days. This large, unselected cohort revealed that, among patients with myocardial infarction, heart failure and its worsening are frequent, especially in the elderly, and dramatically worsen the in-hospital mortality.

Aged↗

Indicators of myocardial dysfunction and quality of life, one year after acute infarction.

BACKGROUND: There remains controversy concerning the association between myocardial dysfunction diagnosed soon after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and subsequent quality of life. AIMS: We searched for a correlation between criteria of myocardial dysfunction assessed within the first month after AMI, and quality of life perceived 1 year later. METHODS: Six hundred and seventy-one patients were followed up and quality of life was assessed using the Nottingham Health Profile. Spearman correlation was used for univariate analyses. A logistic regression identified independent predictors of impaired quality of life. RESULTS: Patients perceiving inferior quality of life were 61% for energy, 61% for sleep, 49% for physical mobility, 49% for pain, 63% for emotional reactions, and 28% for social isolation. Impaired quality of life was not associated with the initial Killip class. A low ejection fraction was associated with impaired physical mobility (OR=1.21, 95% CI=1.05-1.39). Presence of abnormally contracting myocardial segments was associated with impaired mobility (1.40, 1.09-1.80) and with increased pain (1.30, 1.02-1.66). The presence of diseased coronary vessels was associated with pain (1.25, 1.06-1.46). CONCLUSION: Myocardial dysfunction was generally associated with impaired quality of life. This has to be considered when assessing improvement of quality of life after medical or surgical treatment of AMI.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Ambulatory heart failure management in private practice in France.

UNLABELLED: Management of ambulatory heart failure was assessed in a group of 600 patients, mean age 73, 64% males, NYHA I: 9%; II: 52%; III: 33%; IV: 6%; followed up by a representative sample of private cardiologists. Fifty-two percent of patients had been previously hospitalised for worsening heart failure with a mean duration of stay of 13.1 days, for those hospitalised in the year preceding the survey (26%). First diagnosis of heart failure had been performed by a cardiologist (57%), a general practitioner (37%) or another category of physician (6%). Seventy percent of patients received three or more different classes of heart failure medications. Diuretics were prescribed to 71%, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors to 54% and digitalis to 35% of the population. Beta-blockers were given to only 14% of the patients. In patients aged over 80 years, only 45% received angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. CONCLUSION: This survey of ambulatory heart failure patients confirms that the disease is predominantly observed in elderly patients, and associated with prolonged and recurrent hospitalisations. The underuse of recommended therapeutic classes including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers deserves further investigation.

Age Distribution↗

Impact of selected geographical and clinical conditions on thrombolysis rate in myocardial infarction in three departments of France.

Our objective was to assess the impact of selected geographic factors and patients' characteristics on thrombolysis rates in patients resident and hospitalised for acute myocardial infarction in three departments of the Rhĵne-Alpes Region (France). We used a two-level hierarchical model to estimate and explain geographic areas' specific effects. Old subjects and women were less frequently treated than young subjects and men. Severe, non-anterior and non-Q-wave myocardial infarctions were associated with lower thrombolysis rates. It was also lower in patients with a pulmonary chronic disease, a cancer, a peripheral arterial disease, a history of cerebrovascular accident or transient ischaemia attack, and in patients with a psychiatric disorder. After adjusting for patients' characteristics, significant variations in thrombolysis rates remained between geographic areas (up to 3.2 times). These variations seem to be partly explained by distance or isolation: a longer distance to the closest hospital or a high degree of isolation seem to lower the probability of thrombolytic therapy. Several other sources of treatment variation between the studied geographic areas remain unexplored. These factors, especially those that augment the delay to treatment, are to be identified in order to augment fibrinolysis usage and reduce inter-area heterogeneity.

Age Factors↗

Treatment at discharge after myocardial infarction in 2,102 patients. The PRIMA study. Prise en charge de l'Infarctus du Myocarde Aigu.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to examine the use of treatments at discharge in patients hospitalized for myocardial infarction in a French region. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from 2,102 patients discharged after myocardial infarction were prospectively collected at 48 university, community, and private hospitals in three departments in the Rh ne-Alpes region between September 1, 1993 and January 31, 1995. Beta-blockers were prescribed in 59% of the patients, calcium channel blockers in 22%, nitrates in 59%, antiplatelet agents in 82%, anticoagulants in 26%, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in 36%, diuretics in 33%. Beta-blockers were prescribed less often in older patients, and in patients with higher Killip classes or a history of pulmonary disease. Calcium channel blockers were prescribed more often in older patients, and in patients with a history of diabetes, pulmonary disease, or non-Q wave myocardial infarction. Nitrates were prescribed more often in older patients. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were prescribed more often in patients with a history of diabetes, hypertension, or anterior myocardial infarction, and less often in patients with a history of renal failure. Diuretics were prescribed more often in older patients, and in patients with a history of renal failure, diabetes, hypertension, or higher Killip classes. CONCLUSIONS: There is still underuse of beneficial treatments, particularly in elderly patients.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Are women with acute myocardial infarction managed as well as men? Does it have consequences on in-hospital mortality? Analysis of an unselected cohort of 801 women and 1,718 men.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to compare characteristics and management of myocardial infarction in men and women, and whether a difference in management would translate into a difference in in-hospital mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were prospectively collected in 2,519 patients (801 women) admitted in all hospitals in three departments in the Rhĵne-Alpes region in France between September 1, 1993 and January 31, 1995. Women were older than men (76 vs. 64 years). The interval between symptom onset and initial medical intervention was longer in women than in men (median: 180 vs. 135 minutes), as was the interval between symptom onset and hospital admission (median: 315 vs. 255 minutes). After age-adjustment, women were less often smokers, and more often hypertensive or diabetic than men, location of infarction was more often anterior in women, as congestive heart failure at admission. In multivariate analysis, thrombolysis rate was not significantly different in both sexes, whereas noninvasive tests, coronary arteriography, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and coronary artery bypass grafting were significantly less often performed in women than in men. Although in-hospital mortality was higher in women than in men (21% vs. 11%), this difference disappeared after age-adjustment (relative risk = 0.99). In multivariate analysis, gender was not an independent predictor of survival. CONCLUSIONS: Although in-hospital mortality after myocardial infarction was similar in both sexes, rates of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were lower in women than in men. This raises the question of whether mortality would decrease in women if management were similar in both sexes.

Age Factors↗

Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction in a prospective cohort of 2,515 consecutive patients: older age and longer delays lead to a lower thrombolysis rate.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective study sought to determine the rate of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction and the factors that influenced it in everyday practice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were prospectively collected in all patients admitted in all (48) university, community, and private hospitals in three departments in the Rhĵne-Alpes region in France between September 1, 1993 and January 31, 1995. Data from 2,515 patients were included. Overall, 36% of the patients received thrombolysis. The decrease of the thrombolysis rate with age was very regular. The difference between men and women disappeared almost completely when age was taken into account in a bivariate analysis. Among 19 variables introduced in the logistic regression, only the following ones were significant predictors (odds ratio < 1 means less thrombolysis): age (odds ratio: 0.60 per decade), administrative department, type of hospital (community/tertiary: 0.74; private/tertiary: 0.58), history of myocardial infarction or of angina pectoris (0.67), location of myocardial infarction (Q wave non anterior/Q wave anterior: 0.75; non Q wave/Q wave anterior: 0.18), delay between symptoms onset and first medical intervention (0.06), history of cancer (0.47), and history of psychiatric disorder (0.38). CONCLUSIONS: In France as in other countries, the rate of thrombolysis is low. In order to increase this rate, we have to find ways to be more "aggressive" in older patients, and to precisely describe the health care pathways in order to shorten delays.

Age Distribution↗

[Observations on the management of cardiac failure in ambulatory patients. Results of a survey of cardiologists].

An enquiry was undertaken amongst 71 cardiologists in 1999 evaluating 600 ambulatory patients with cardiac failure (64% men; mean age 73 years; NYHA Class I: 9%, Class II: 52%, Class III: 33%, Class IV: 6%). Cardiac failure is commoner in men (81%) before the age of 70. After the age of 80, the tendency is inversed (53% of women). Fifty-two per cent of patients had a history of hospital admission for cardiac failure: 26% in the year before the enquiry (on average 13.1 days' hospital stay). On inclusion, the diagnosis was made 4.2 +/- 4.6 years previously and the patients had been followed up for an average of 3.04 +/- 3.3 years. The diagnosis of cardiac failure was made by the cardiologist (57%), the general practitioner (37%), or another category of physician (6%). Eight per cent of patients were treated with a single drug before inclusion, 22% had a bi-therapy and 70% a polytherapy. The most frequently prescribed drugs were: diuretics (71%), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (54%) and digitalis (35%). The prescription of betablockers was only reported in 14% of the population. In the over-80's, only 45% of patients were prescribed ACE inhibitors. These results confirm that ambulatory patients with cardiac failure are mainly in NYHA Classes II and III, that the pathology concerns elderly patients and that it is the cause of recurrent hospital admission. The prescription of diuretics is the main therapy in all NYHA Classes. ACE inhibitors were only prescribed in 2/3 of patients and in less than half of patients over 80 years of age. The prescription of betablockers remains marginal. The reason for the underprescription of recommended drugs (International Recommendations) would justify further investigation.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

[Secondary prevention of coronary artery disease with lipid-lowering drugs].

Before the statins era, this was one of the most debated questions in the field of cardiology: although hypolipidemic drugs (mainly fibrates) decreased the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, their influence on total mortality was not significant. The 4S study demonstrated the efficacy of a statin on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and on total mortality. This was confirmed by the CARE and the LIPID trials. Statins should be prescribed to all coronary patients, whatever the type of coronary disease, the age (we do not know yet for people older than 80), the gender, the basal cholesterol level (maybe statins are not efficacious when it is<2g/l); cholesterol level has to be lowered below 2g/l. Two trials of drugs increasing the HDL cholesterol level were recently published. Unfortunately their results are contradictory. Statins should be the first level drugs. Maybe it is useful to decrease the triglycerides level and to increase the HDL cholesterol level. The association of a statin and a fibrate is reserved to specialized centers. We should not forget the usefulness of diet. We must also take the other risk factors into account.

Age Distribution↗