Heart failure in nursing home residents: Prevalence, diagnosis and treatment

This dissertation demonstrated that heart failure in nursing home patients is common. Geriatric medicine specialists (previously known as nursing home doctors) appear to be quite capable of diagnosing heart failure in nursing home patients if they have access to the right resources and if they have been properly trained. An echocardiogram is only necessary if a medical indication so requires, and can be easily performed on location with a mobile device. The current treatment plan for heart failure in nursing home patients does not adhere to the applicable guidelines. Healthcare professionals do not always prescribe the right medications and, if these medications are prescribed, the dose is almost always lower than recommended. We therefore recommend adapting these guidelines for this relatively vulnerable group of elderly patients.