Canberra Heart Study Results Make National Survey An Urgent Health Priority

The Canberra Heart Study, conducted in 2002-2003 and published in the latest edition of the Medical Journal of Australia, revealed that 6.3% of participants had clinical heart failure, with about 10% of these cases being previously undiagnosed.

In addition to those with clinical heart failure, 21.1 per cent of the sample had structural heart disease and 5.9% had left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

The study provides the first population-based estimates of heart failure prevalence in Australia. Previous estimates were largely drawn from overseas studies.

The authors, Dr Walter Abhayaratna of the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University , and colleagues, say their results suggest that diagnosed cases of heart failure represent the "tip of the iceberg" for the national burden of heart failure and structural heart disease,

As our population ages, heart failure will have a major economic impact on the health care system. Already the costs are estimated to be over a billion dollars a year in Australia.

The authors say it is important to optimise methods of diagnosing heart failure in the community.

Targeted screening programs for people at higher risk, such as older people and those with documented coronary disease, could be evaluated for cost-effectiveness.

In an accompanying editorial, Professor Henry Krum of Monash University and Professor Simon Stewart of the University of South Australia say the Canberra Heart Study is an excellent start in helping to determine the true magnitude of the heart failure problem in Australia.

"The findings of this community-based study are a wake-up call to those unaware of the extent of the condition," say the authors.

"Heart failure management is complex, involving a multidisciplinary approach. Early detection of subclinical heart failure and treatment of known risk factors will be vital to the evolution of future management strategies," say the authors.

The authors support the call by Abhayaratna and colleagues for a national study to provide the information needed to establish a heart failure management plan for the future.

The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.