Patterns Changing for Heart Disorder Hospitalizations in Canada

FRIDAY, July 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Standardized hospitalization rates declined for coronary artery and vascular disease, heart rhythm disorders, stroke, and heart failure in Canada from 2007 through 2016, according to a study published online July 1 in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

Leigh C.P. Botly, Ph.D., from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in Toronto, and colleagues used administrative hospitalization data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database (April 1, 2007, to March 31, 2017) to assess trends in hospitalization rates for a broad set of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and vascular cognitive impairment.

The researchers found that decreases in standardized hospitalization rates were relatively small for heart failure and stroke (−2.4 and −4.7 percent, respectively), while there were moderate declines for coronary artery and vascular disease and heart rhythm disorders (−27.4 and −16.8 percent, respectively). There were relatively small increases for congenital heart disease (+7.2 percent) and moderate increases noted for acquired valvular heart disease (+31.1 percent) and vascular cognitive impairment (+23.4 percent). Age- and sex-specific differences were seen, in addition to provincial/territorial variation.

“The decrease in standardized hospitalization rates for some conditions suggests increased adoption of multidisciplinary outpatient management of these conditions,” Botly said in a statement.

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