Scompenso cardiaco: prevenire le riospedalizzazioni applicando programmi di gestione Heart failure: preventing rehospitalizations by disease management programs

Heart failure: preventing rehospitalizations by disease management programs. V. Verdiani, C. Nozzoli. Chronic heart failure is a growing public health prob- lem for prevalence, morbidity and costs. The major propor- tion of costs is attributable to rehospitalizations and many of these readmissions may be preventable. Since 1990, some in- vestigators have tested a variety of disease management pro- grams designed to improve quality of life, functional status and decrease rehospitalizations rates. We identified these studies by a computerized search of the MEDLINE data- base. The programs described reflected a wide variety of methods and we categorized these programs recognizing the prevalent disease management approach. We reported the results of these trials about rehospitalizations and analysed a number of limitations that must be considered when de- termining their adoption into clinical practice. Keywords: Heart failure, hospitalisation, disease man- agement.