Remote management of worsening heart failure

The article Remote management of worsening heart failure to avoid hospitalization in a real-world setting, published in ESC Heart Failure, presents the results of the real-life retrospective clinical study on 161 heart failure patients managed remotely by the Bordeaux University Hospital over a period of 291±66 days.

Whereas remote monitoring of Heart Failure is a general concept focused mainly on the early detection of Worsening Heart Failure events, remote management is a more comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, detection, and remote care. This is a critical difference, because remote care has the potential to decrease hospitalization.

Thanks to multiparametric remote monitoring using connected devices and performed by a specialized hospital care team, a strategy for remote management of episodes of worsening heart failure can be implemented:
With this approach, nearly 2/3 of episodes of worsening heart failure could be managed remotely, avoiding hospitalization:

In the present study, most Worsening Heart Failure events (62.9%) could be successfully managed remotely.

Authors conclude:

Our study suggests that remote management of Worsening Heart Failure events based on a multiparametric approach led by a telemedical centre is feasible and safe. Adopting such a strategy for patients with chronic Heart Failure could reduce Heart Failure-related hospitalizations with expected benefits for patients, care providers, and health care systems.

The full article is available here (open access).