National and Regional Trends in Heart Failure Hospitalization and Mortality Rates for Medicare Beneficiaries, 1998-2008

ContextIt is not known whether recent declines in ischemic heart disease and its risk factors have been accompanied by declines in heart failure (HF) hospitalization and mortality.ObjectiveTo examine changes in HF hospitalization rate and 1-year mortality rate in the United States, nationally and by state or territory.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsFrom acute care hospitals in the United States and Puerto Rico, 55 097 390 fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized between 1998 and 2008 with a principal discharge diagnosis code for HF.Main Outcome MeasuresChanges in patient demographics and comorbidities, HF hospitalization rates, and 1-year mortality rates.ResultsThe HF hospitalization rate adjusted…

• YU
  Yale University
• AF
  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• NH
  National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute