Unmet Palliative Care Needs of Patients with Stage B Chronic Heart Failure Classified by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology

Abstract

This study sought to explore the unmet palliative care needs of patients diagnosed with Stage B chronic heart failure (CHF) according to the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) classifications. We conducted this cross-sectional study between June 1 and August 31, 2020, at Kobe University Hospital. Patients were asked to complete the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS) along with a customized questionnaire developed by a multidisciplinary team. These tools were filled out by the patients themselves or with help from family members. A total of 101 patients participated in the study, with 55 of them (55%) falling into the Stage B CHF group as classified by AHA/ACC. Among the physical symptoms, 22% reported dyspnea and 20% reported drowsiness as common concerns. Regarding specific problems, 47% identified issues related to exercise, 62% with eating, 26% with finances, and 18% with employment. Notably, financial difficulties were found to be significantly more common among Stage B patients when compared to those in Stages C and D (odds ratio [OR]: 5.22; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.03–26.5; p = 0.032). Almost 79% of Stage B patients expressed a desire to understand the progression of their disease. In conclusion, stage B CHF patients may face financial difficulties and have unmet informational needs. Therefore, further research is necessary to explore these aspects in greater detail.