Media release

From: Red Havas

·       Heart failure is a chronic condition which leads to 1 in 50 deaths in Australia per year,3 and requires proactive and organised care.2

·       Australian study (SHAPE) reveals only 1 in 5 heart failure patients are formally diagnosed, less than half see a cardiologist within one month of diagnosis, and only 50% have a care plan2

·       Experts are calling for people with heart failure and GPs to be more proactive and utilise available planning tools to ensure access to vital care for better and longer lives.2

Sydney, 1 September 2022 – The “Study of Heart failure in the Australian Primary carE setting (SHAPE)*”, published in the Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP), is the first long-term research into the management of heart failure in Australia and uncovers a concerning picture of under-utilised care options in general practice, despite people living with the condition visiting their GP on average 14 times per year.2

The burden of heart failure is growing, with it estimated to affect 650,000 Australians by 2025.4 Symptoms include breathlessness, needing to sleep propped up, swollen feet/ankles, persistent cough and not being able to take part in exercise or other activities.5

Co-existing heart failure with anxiety and depression is also common and made worse by the stress and worry of the condition, which in turn worsens the overall health of the body and heart, leaving people in a debilitating cycle.6

Professor Ralph Audehm, GP and SHAPE study lead-author, Melbourne, explains further,
“The burden of living with heart failure is significant and should not be overlooked1. If you or your loved one is feeling more tired or notice your symptoms have changed and are starting to impact quality of life, even if you are unsure whether it’s related to heart failure, it’s important to visit the GP so they can help put the right care plans in place and ensure no one needs to accept a poorer quality of life.”

GPs are the first point of contact for people living with heart failure who are seeking support from healthcare professionals, and have a unique opportunity to recognise and discuss heart failure symptoms and co-existing conditions, and can initiate specialist referrals, Medicare-funded chronic disease management plans (CDMs) and GP Mental Health Treatment Plans (GP-MHTP).2±

Despite this, the SHAPE study reveals only 20% of people with heart failure were formally diagnosed7, 46.8% were referred to a cardiologist within one month of diagnosis, nearly half did not have a CDM plan in place, only 3% had their CDM reviewed annually, and just 37% of those with anxiety and depression had a GP-MHTP.2

Professor Andrew Sindone, cardiologist, heart failure specialist and SHAPE study co-author, Sydney says: “We have optimal care for the management of heart failure available in Australia, including Government-funded care plans with established processes which are proven to improve outcomes. Despite this, the SHAPE study data shows our system is not being utilised to its full potential. I strongly encourage GPs and specialists to plan more collaborative and multi-disciplinary team care to ensure the best possible outcomes”.

Tanya Hall, patient advocate, CEO and Founder of Hearts4Hearts, explains how Australians with heart failure should be alert to changing symptoms and stay connected with their healthcare teams, saying:

“It’s important to be proactive about heart failure and speak to a GP or specialist about any new or changing symptoms – as even things that may seem like a normal part of ageing could be important signs that the condition is worsening – such as generally feeling unwell, no longer being able to walk upstairs or having trouble sleeping through the night.”

As well as impacting the lives of individuals and their families, heart failure continues to be a significant public health concern, resulting in more than one million hospital days a year, with an estimated annual healthcare cost of more than AUD $3.1billion.1

The SHAPE study paints a much anticipated and concerning picture of the management of heart failure in Australia, and authors conclude there is an opportunity for GPs to plan holistic team-based care to meet the needs of their patients, reduce hospital admissions by up to 20%, and prolong lives.2 More information about the SHAPE study can be accessed online: https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2022/september

*ENDS*

Issued on behalf of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia by Red Havas. For further information please contact Daisy Bartlett, Red Havas (0490879630) or Sue Cook, Red Havas (0456977729)

* The Study of Heart failure in the Australian Primary carE setting (SHAPE) analysed the records of 1.93 million adult Australian patients from 43 general practices from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2018.2

± There are two types of Medicare-funded care plans that can be prepared by a General Practitioner (GP) for Chronic Disease Management (CDM), including GP Management Plans (GPMP) and Team Care Arrangements (TCAs). In addition, GPs can also initiate GP Mental Health Treatment Plans (GP-MHTP) which are part of the Government funded Better Access Initiative.8,9,10

About Novartis
Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world’s top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 108,000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at https://www.novartis.com.

References

1.      Chan Y-K et al. Current and projected burden of heart failure in the Australian adult population: a substantive but still ill-defined major health issue, BMC Health Services Research (2016) 16:501.

2.      Audehm RG et al, Health care services utilisation by patients with heart failure in Australia – findings from the SHAPE study, The Australian Journal of General Practice; 2022

3.      The Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2020. Causes of death 2019. Available online: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/2019 (accessed July 2022).

4.      Australian Catholic University. 2016. Heart Failure Burden Report.

5.      National Heart Foundation of Australia and Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of heart failure in Australia (2018) 27, 1123-1208. Available online: https://www.heartlungcirc.org/article/S1443-9506(18)31777-3/fulltext (accessed July 2022).

6.      Celano CM et al. 2018. Depression and Anxiety in Heart Failure: a Review. Harv Rev Pscyhiatry. 26(4): 175-184.

7.      Parsons RW et al. 2020. The epidemiology of heart failure in the general Australian community - study of heart failure in the Australian primary care setting (SHAPE): methods. BMC Public Health. 20:648.

8.      The Australian Government Department of Health, Chronic Disease Management Patient Information. Available online: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mbsprimarycare-chronicdisease-pdf-infosheet (accessed July 2022).

9.      The Australian Government Department of Health, Better Access Initiative. Available online: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/better-access-initiative (accessed July 2022).

10.    Health Direct. Mental Heath Treatment Plan. Available online : https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-treatment-plan (accessed August 2022)