Österreichische Kardiologische Gesellschaft 

The WG for Heart Failure is actively participating in the EuroHeart Failure Survey - pilot phase . Here all patients with acute or chronic heart failure who are being treated at the centres (stationary and ambulatory) on a weekday (of their choice) are being documented.

This survey is meant to document the differences in the treatment of patients with heart failure in Europe to determine results that are relevant for health policies.

Events 2009

Domestic

• Meetings at the ASC Annual Meeting 2009 (May, Salzburg)
• Consensus meetings on heart failure Vienna (January), Graz (June), Linz (October), Innsbruck (November)
• Second “referral symposium” on a local level

International

• HF tri-country meeting (September, Vienna)
• Spring meeting of the DGK (April, Mannheim): invited lecture by G. Pölzl from the HF WG about our HFR

Closed meetings

• Closed meeting (January, Bad Hofgastein)
• Joint meeting with the HF WG from Germany and Switzerland in Mannheim, Nice and Vienna (joint projects, registry)

Publications

HF Registry (since 5/2006)

• domestic and international publication in progress

Mobitel

• Multicentric study (telemonitoring of HF patients)
• Four centres from the HF WG
• completed, published (JMIR)

Activities 2008-2009

HF Registry (since 5/2006)

• currently recorded >2500 patients, expansion to the field of resident physicians’ practices is planned
• domestic and international publications in progress

LevoRep

• Multicentric study (repetitive Levosimendan statement among ambulatory HF patients)
• Seven centres in Austria, three in Greece

Mobitel

• Multicentric study (telemonitoring of HF patients)
• Four centres from the HF WG
• completed, published (JMIR)

Research projects

CRT Survey

• the European countries with the highest CRT implantation rate 2005 were asked to document this topic in real life.
  Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, NL, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
  Two Pl/country (electrophysiologist, 1 HF specialist)

Recruitment
11/2008-4/2009

massive problems with the ethics committee vote in France, therefore search for additional countries
Austria, Israel, Ireland, Norway (as of 1/2009)
Extension of the recruitment until 6/2009

CRT Survey domestic

• Directors of the HF WG and Rhythmology WG as PI
  Search for centres (based on the implantation rates)
• Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Krems, Linz (Elisabethinen, AKH ), Mödling, Salzburg, St. Pölten, Wels, Vienna (AKH (General Hospital), Rosenhügel, Wilhelminenspital), Vienna Neustadt were invited
• Confirmations of collaboration in Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Krems, Linz (Elisabethinen), Mödling, Salzburg, St. Pölten, Vienna (AKH (General Hospital), Rosenhügel, Wilhelminenspital, Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital), Vienna Neustadt
  Linz (AKH (General Hospital)), Wels declined

EHFS III

EuroHeart Failure Survey III - pilot phase

• Determination of the current situation of providing for patients with acute and chronic heart failure in Europe (one day/week for eight consecutive months)
• Project of the HFA on behalf of the ESC (chair: Maggioni)
• 1 Pl/country (Chairman of WG on heart failure)
• 4 West European countries (AT, DE, FR, NL)
• 2 East European countries (PL, RO)
• 3 South European countries (GR, IT, ES)
• 3 North European countries (DK, NO, SE)

EHFS III domestic

in Austria max. 6 centres

• 1 maximum treatment (interventional cardiology, cardiosurgery) - Graz
• 2 x invasive cardiology (Elisabethinen Linz, Braunau)
• 3 x internal medicine with/without cardiology (Tulln, Feldbach, BHB Graz)

Start: October 2009

End: May 2010 or after 3000 included patients

Presentation: ESC 2010

Scientific Highlights 2008-2009

• CRT Survey - baseline data (frequent off-label use of CRT)
• BEAUTIFUL study - resting pulse rate and prognosis (</> 70/min)
• B-CONVINCED (BB elimination bad in cases of cardiac decompensation)
• GISSI-HF - PUFA (positive long-term effect)
• GISSI-HF - Rosuvastation (no effect on prognosis)
• I-PRESERVE - Irbesartan for diastol. HF (no effect on prognosis)
• MADIT-CRT - CRT better for NYHA II and LSB than ICD alone
• WATCH - OAK vs. Clopidogrel vs. aspirin in case of HF (no difference in prognosis, most frequent HF hospitalisation with aspirin)
• HF-ACTION - Movement training for HF (safe and effective)

Events / advanced training 2007

• 1 closed meeting session, 2 nucleus sessions, 2 task force sessions
• 1/26/07 - 7th Consensus Meeting on heart failure, Vienna
• 5/31-6/2/2007 - Annual Meeting of the ASC
• 6/9-12/2007 - Heart Failure 2007, Hamburg
• 6/26/2007 - Graz Heart Failure – Update 2007
• 9/27-29/2007 - Heart Failure Tri-country Meeting 2007, Nuremberg
• 11/16/2007 - Heart Failure Update 2007, Linz
• 11/24/2006 - 2nd Consensus Meeting on Heart Failure, Innsbruck

Publications 2006/2007

• Österreichische Ärztezeitung 5/2006: State of the Art: Heart Failure. 220-1
• Österreichische Ärztezeitung, Supplement June 2006: Consensus on Heart Failure State of the art 2006
• Heart Transplant Compendium, October 2007

Work Projects

• Installation of an Austria-wide HF Registry
  Fourteen heart failure outpatient clinics are currently involved, as of 10/07 approx. 1100 pat.
  Implementation of the follow-up recording with Nov. 2007
  An integration of the established cardiologists is planned and will be advanced intensively (constit. sessions so far in Vienna,
  Upper Austria, Salzburg and Tyrol)
• Project Heartbeat Forum
  Domestic project to educate and inform patients and the public about heart failure
  Process in several phases:
  - Press conference as a kick-off
  - HF info kit
  - Patient coaching
  - Coordination of advanced training
  - Public relations
• Compendium to manage patients after heart transplants
• Integration of the Salzburg Cardiomobile Projects into the Salzburger Work Group for Preventive Medicine (AVOS)
  As of 2008, costs are assumed by the state of Salzburg and social security
• Submission of the Viennese Nurse Programme to the reform pool Vienna