Heart Failure cost is 2-3 percent of total health-care expenditures in high-income countries and costs are projected to increase 200 percent in next 20 years world-wide. Current cost in the U.S. is $30.7 billion dollars.1 Congestive heart failure affects people of all ages, from children and young adults to the middle-aged and the elderly. Time is critical for Heart Failure patients who present with cardiac issues. GE Healthcare's Cardiovascular IT and Diagnostic Cardiology solutions can provide insights throughout the cardiology care pathway to help improve clinical decisions and outcomes.
The Patient Journey
early detection
About half of people who develop heart failure die within five years of diagnosis.3 Important risk factors include HTN, DM, Metabolic Syndrome, and Coronary Artery Disease, but there are many other conditions that put patients at risk. Early identification and treatment of comorbidities can delay the onset of Heart Failure.4
diagnosis & risk assessment
Diagnosis typically involves assessment for ECG abnormality and assessment of cardiac structure, function and possible cause. Guidelines suggest use of echocardiography due to its widespread availability, but other non-invasive imaging modalities can be used. In certain cases, invasive monitoring provides useful information for patients with persistent symptoms. Biomarkers provide helpful information about progression of disease.4
treatment and intervention
Guidelines suggest lifestyle modifications, and use of specific medical therapies, such as ACE inhibitors and beta blockers. For certain patients not responding to medical therapies, guidelines suggest use of ICD or CRT. Revascularization and valve repair are used in certain stages of HF.4
patient follow-up and monitoring
Guidelines recommend regular follow up to assess severity and extent of left ventricular dysfunction, and development of a follow-up treatment strategy, including monitoring, to prevent acute decompensation and re-admission.4
digital foundation and innovations
Digital solutions, analytics and AI innovations such as GE Healthcare's Edison Platform, Muse and Centricity Cardio Enterprise connect our wing-to-wing technologies to practitioners for better cardiology outcomes, more efficiently.
