Heart Failure Registry in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. SEPE-HF Registry

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Abstract

Background: Heart failure is a true pandemic affecting more than 64 million people worldwide. It is essential to know the local reality in order to implement the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic actions. We conducted a heart failure registry in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, the SEPE-HF registry.

Objective: The aim of the registry was to determine the epidemiological characteristics, clinical presentation, evaluation, treatment and outcome of heart failure in our region.

Methods: From January 2023 to April 2024, patients admitted to seven participating centers for heart failure were included in the study.

Results: We included 418 patients; mean age was 67.4± 13.1 years and 49% were men. Sixty-four percent had a history of hypertension, 21% diabetes mellitus, 20% atrial fibrillation (AF), and 12% ischemic heart disease. Most patients had Chagas cardiomyopathy (37%). Transthoracic echocardiography revealed that 51% had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤40%. Cardiovascular mortality was 5.5%. Chagasic patients tended to be older, with less history of hypertension, and a higher prevalence of right bundle branch block, AF and pacemaker rhythm. They presented more frequently depressed ventricular function, but no significant differences in in-hospital mortality.

Conclusion: The SEPE-HF registry reflects the characteristics and outcome of patients hospitalized for heart failure in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Chagas disease accounts for more than one-third of the cases, making it imperative to advance the development of measures that facilitate early diagnosis and the eradication of the endemic disease.