Clinical course and therapy optimization of patients after discharge from a specialized heart failure clinic

Aim: We aimed to describe the clinical course of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) after discharge from the heart failure clinics (HFC). Patients & methods: We reviewed the hospital's records of 610 patients that were discharged between 2013 and 2018 from the HFC at a single centre. Patients with no recurrent contact to ambulatory cardiac care were invited to an echocardiographic assessment. Results: Of the survivors, 72% were re-referred after discharge. Nearly 30% of the patients with no recurrent contact with ambulatory cardiac care had persistent HFrEF and further therapeutical optimizations were indicated in half of them. Conclusion: This highlights the importance to identify high-risk patients that would benefit from extended management in the HFC.