Primary prevention

Your Organisational Guidance

ebpracticenet urges you to prioritise the following organisational guidance:

Behandeling acuut cardiogeen longoedeem in een urgente situatie (in afwachting van hospitalisatie)Published by: Werkgroep Ontwikkeling Richtlijnen Eerste Lijn (Worel)Last published: 2022La prise en charge de l’oedème pulmonaire aigu cardiogénique en situation d'urgence (en attente d'une hospitalisation)Published by: Groupe de Travail Développement de recommmandations de première ligneLast published: 2022

Consider interventions aimed at modifying risk factors in order to delay or prevent the onset of acute heart failure, including:[1]

  • Coronary artery disease: manage with aspirin, beta-blockers, statins, and ACE inhibitors, as needed

    • Optimising treatment of hypertension, smoking cessation, and lipid control provides substantial benefit in patients with coronary artery disease[1] 

    • Optimal control of hypertension may require more than one antihypertensive medication.[17] Different antihypertensive drugs (diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers) have been shown to be effective, especially in older people, both with and without a history of myocardial infarction[1]

  • Diabetes mellitus: in addition to metabolic control, ensure aggressive control of lipids and blood pressure[18][19]

  • Alcohol consumption and excessive salt and fluid intake: discourage in patients with known left ventricular dysfunction[20]

  • Drugs that can cause or potentiate heart failure: avoid, if safe and possible to do so.[21]

Secondary prevention

All patients with heart failure are recommended to have pneumococcal vaccination and annual influenza vaccine.

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