Heart failure and diabetes in primary care

Abstract

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease, such as heart failure share many common denominators and they cannot therefore be managed 'in isolation'. The management of overall cardiovascular risk is now the cornerstone to any treatment approach. With the prevalence of both diabetes and heart failure predicted to rise, in a bid to avoid the associated increase in hospital admissions, the onus for effective diagnosis and management of both of these conditions will increasingly fall to those working in primary care. This article explores the current guidelines on managing heart failure in primary care, and specifically looks at the prevention and treatment of heart failure in those with diabetes. Current guidelines recommend angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors as first-line therapy for heart failure. There is good evidence for this, as well as alternative treatments for those who cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors, or who require additional treatment.