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February 2023 25in25 initiative aims to reduce heart failure deaths A coalition of 45 professional associations, patient groups and NHS organisations has come together to sign a declaration committing to reduce heart failure deaths by 25% in the next 25 years Organised by the British Society for Heart Failure (BSH), the first objective of the 25in25 initiative is to identify the estimated 385,000 people with undetected, undiagnosed and untreated heart failure. As malignant as some common cancers, heart failure is too often missed or overlooked, yet it is often the endpoint of many cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular conditions. Currently, 80% of people with heart failure in the UK are diagnosed in hospital but 40% of these have symptoms that should have triggered an earlier assessment in primary care. The 25in25 initiative aims to reduce mortality from heart failure by 25% in the first year after diagnosis. In the UK, this would mean five fewer deaths for every 100 patients diagnosed with heart failure each year. Heart failure often occurs in patients with other long term conditions, including diabetes and kidney disease, and is commonly preceded by coronary artery disease and/or hypertension. The prevalence of comorbidities is shown in Figure 1. Dr Lisa Anderson, Chair Elect of the BSH commented: ‘By working together, the 25in25 collaborative can accelerate action towards reducing deaths due to heart failure in the next 25 years. Identifying those with risk factors for and detecting heart failure earlier will lead to sustainable wins across other diseases.’ Dr Henry Oluwasefunmi Savage, Chair of the BSH Policy & Media Committee, said: ‘The immediate issue, where we will have most impact on people and services is through detecting the people who have heart failure already and don’t know it. Identifying those at risk of developing heart failure and intervening early is key to the long-term management of cardiovascular diseases. Identified early, we can make a huge difference in the lives of those with heart failure. We have the tools and expertise to manage heart failure well. Everyone needs to be vigilant, to look out for the common symptoms of heart failure — the F words: fighting for breath, fatigue and fluid retention. An NTproBNP blood test can be used to rule out heart failure or indicate the need for further tests.’ |
Practice Nurse 2023;53(01): online only  |
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