Recall of lifestyle advice in patients recently hospitalised with heart failure: A EuroHeart Failure Survey analysis

Background: There are limited data on recall and implementation of lifestyle advice in patients with heart failure (HF). Aim: To investigate what advice patients with HF recall being given, and whether they report following the advice they remember. Methods and results: 3261 patients with suspected HF participating in the EuroHeart Failure Survey were interviewed by a health professional 12 weeks after hospital discharge. Patients recalled receiving 46% of pre-specified items of advice and 67% reported that they followed these completely. Both recall (53%) and implementation (71%) was best in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). In multivariate analysis, younger age, male sex, patient awareness of the condition and patients reporting that they received a clear explanation of the diagnosis by a health professional, all factors associated with having LVSD, were the strongest predictors of recall. Conclusions: Recall of and adherence to advice by patients with HF in this large European cross-sectional survey was disappointing. Responsibility for patient education lies with health professionals who should ensure that patients receive and understand advice, and are able to recall and follow it. A greater awareness of the issues surrounding lifestyle advice and more evidence supporting its value could improve patient care.

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