Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the association between discharge heart rate and 6-month cardiovascular readmission in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods: A prospective descriptive study was conducted on 105 patients with chronic heart failure admitted to the Cardiology Department of Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital from January 2024 to May 2025. Heart failure was diagnosed according to the 2021 ESC criteria. Patients were categorized into two groups based on discharge heart rate: <70 bpm (n=42) and ≥70 bpm (n=63). Clinical characteristics, comorbidities, echocardiographic indices, and laboratory findings were collected. Cardiovascular readmissions (heart failure exacerbation, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias) were recorded at 1, 3, and 6 months. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan–Meier method, and relative risk estimates were obtained using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: The mean age was 68.81 ± 12.1 years, and 50.48% were women. Common comorbidities included hypertension (60.95%), atrial fibrillation (29.52%), valvular heart disease (27.62%), and chronic kidney disease (21.9%). Dyspnea on exertion (95.24%), chest pain (79.05%), pulmonary rales (67.62%), and lower-limb edema (57.14%) were the most frequent symptoms. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 40.9 ± 15.9%. During the first month, cardiovascular readmission was significantly higher in the ≥70 bpm group (22.22% vs. 2.38%; p<0.05). At 3 months, no significant difference was observed (22.22% vs. 23.81%; p>0.05). At 6 months, readmission remained higher in the ≥70 bpm group (23.81% vs. 7.14%; p<0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed an increased risk of cardiovascular readmission in the ≥70 bpm group (HR=1.6; 95% CI: 0.85–3.04), although this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Discharge heart rate ≥70 bpm was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular readmission, at 1 and 6 months post-discharge, highlighting the prognostic importance of adequate heart rate control in chronic heart failure.