In Spain, as in all other developed countries, heart failure is a colossal healthcare challenge. It is estimated that more than 1,300,000 people have heart failure in Spain. Each year, there are more than 100,000 hospital admissions for this process and the numbers are progressively increasing. Approximately 2% of emergency visits are related to this condition. Nearly 50% of inpatients are older than 75 years and have multiple comorbidities. Readmissions are common. Mortality at 1 year is around 16% after discharge but is close to 60% at 10 years. The associated annual overall costs are around 2,500 million euros. Every year more than 17,000 people die from heart failure, which is the fourth most frequent cause of death in Spain. Mortality rates have been reduced but, because of more advanced age at admission and the associated multiple comorbidities, in-hospital mortality has remained largely unchanged during the last 12 years and is nearly 10%. De novo heart failure causes greater morbidity and mortality and consequently there is a need for early identification and treatment. Strategies to coordinate healthcare levels and develop effective preventive programs are needed to tackle this formidable problem.
Keywords: Epidemiology; Epidemiología; Heart failure; Hospitalizaciones; Hospitalizations; Insuficiencia cardíaca; Mortalidad; Mortality.
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