Manejo ambulatorio de la insuficiencia cardíaca crónica en la Argentina: Estudio OFFICE IC

work aim to identify the baseline characteristics and common diagnostic and therapeutic modalities of chronic heart failure treatment in argentina. research design and methods survey of 241 argentine physicians (91.7% cardiologists) who provided data about chronic heart failure outpatients' clinical profile, studies and treatment. results data from 2201 patients (64.6% men, mean age 67.6±12 years) were obtained between june 2003 and march 2004. fifty-eight percent had been admitted due to heart failure in the two previous years, and 73.5% showed a functional class i-ii. ischemia (40.5%) and hypertension (23.7%) were the predominant etiologies. ventricular function was identified in 88.5% of the patients (moderate to severe dysfunction in more than 70%). digitalis was prescribed in 33% of the patients, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors- angiotensin ii antagonists in 92.2%, beta-blockers in 70% and spironolactone in 61.7%. etiology, ventricular function, medical insurance status and concomitant treatment were all predictors of neurohormonal antagonists prescription. conclusions the patients in this study are similar to those of other population studies, with a prevalence of men and hypertensive ischemic etiology. most of the patients showed systolic dysfunction. a high proportion of patients underwent treatment according to present day standards.