Feasibility of Pharmaceutical Interventions in Elderly Heart Failure Patients.

Feasibility of Pharmaceutical Interventions in Elderly Heart Failure Patients: a Pilot Study.

Heart failure therapies (e.g. beta blockers) have been successful in decreasing mortality rates, as well as diminishing hospitalizations. Also, pharmacist collaboration has been shown to have a beneficial impact on heart failure related outcomes. Regardless, a high residual event rate is to be noted.

In our pilot study, we wished to document whether a clinical pharmacist could still play a role in the heart failure management of an elderly inpatient heart failure population.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 75 years or older
• diagnosis of previous or new heart failure based on signs and symptoms as defined by the 'European Society of Cardiology guidelines on acute and chronic heart failure'
• diagnosis had to be confirmed by a recent echocardiogram

Exclusion Criteria:

• not Dutch speaking
• treatment restrictions had been applied on admission