Prevalence of anemia and renal insufficiency in non-hospitalized patients with heart failure

Association between vitamin D deficiency and heart failure risk in the elderly

AIMS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between vitamin D deficiency and risk of heart failure in elderly patients of cardiology outpatient clinics.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A cross-sectional study with an analytical approach was employed. Clinical data were collected from the elderly from August 2015 to February 2016. The dependent variable was the risk of heart failure; the independent variable was vitamin D deficiency; and intervening factors were age, gender, education, ethnicity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, renal failure, dementia, stroke, dyslipidaemia, depression, smoking, alcoholism, obesity, andropause, and cardiac arrhythmia. To analyse the association between vitamin D deficiency and risk of heart failure, we used the bivariate logistic analysis, followed by analysis through the multivariate logistic regression model. Of the 137 elderly, the study found the following: women (75.9%); overweight (48.2%); obese (30.6%); increase in the index waist/hip (88.3%); dyslipidaemia (94.2%) and hypertension (91.2%); coronary artery disease (35.0%); and 27.7% with cardiac arrhythmia or left ventricular hypertrophy. Sixty-five per cent of the elderly were deficient in vitamin D. The risk of heart failure was significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency [odds ratio (OR): 12.19; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.23-35.16; P = 0.000], male gender (OR: 15.32; 95% CI = 3.39-69.20, P = 0.000), obesity (OR: 4.17; 95% CI = 1.36-12.81; P = 0.012), and cardiac arrhythmia (OR: 3.69; 95% CI = 1.23-11.11; P = 0.020).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the elderly, and the evidence shows a strong association between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of heart failure in this population.

Perfil de saúde de pacientes acometidos por insuficiência cardíaca

O estudo objetivou caracterizar os clientes com diagnóstico de Insuficiência Cardíaca (IC), segundo o modelo de Campo de Saúde, identificando fatores de risco. O estudo, com abordagem quantitativa, foi realizado por meio de entrevista com 37 pacientes com diagnóstico médico de IC; utilizou-se questionário semiestruturado baseado no modelo de "Campo de Saúde". A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 60±15 anos, com predominância do sexo feminino (59,5%) e da hipertensão arterial (75,7%). O consumo de bebidas alcoólicas e o tabagismo são praticados por, respectivamente, 13,5% e 21,6% dos pacientes. Os doces e refrigerantes são consumidos diariamente por 21,6% dos pacientes. O diagnóstico de IC é desconhecido por 75,7% dos pacientes e 40,5% procuram os serviços de saúde apenas em casos de urgência. Os determinantes da saúde que compõem o Campo de Saúde indicaram um meio propício para o surgimento da IC, prejudicando a qualidade de vida da população.