In-Hospital Mortality and Costs of Added Morbidity in Heart Failure Patients at a University Hospital: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospital admissions and in-hospital mortality among the elderly. This study aims to characterize HF patients admitted to Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital (HUVV), identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality and analyze the impact of added morbidity on healthcare costs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) at HUVV. We included all discharges with a primary diagnosis of HF in 2021. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with mortality, and cost analysis was performed to assess the economic impact of added morbidity. Results: A total of 731 hospital discharges for HF were analyzed, with a mortality rate of 14.77%. Mortality was significantly associated with age >= 75 years (OR = 4.12; p < 0.001), high or extreme severity (OR = 2.26 and 8.10, respectively; p < 0.001), and more than 10 diagnoses at discharge (OR = 2.95; p < 0.01). Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) was associated with a reduced risk of death (OR = 0.29; p < 0.001). Hospital-acquired morbidity occurred in 27.22% of patients, resulting in an additional cost of EUR 152,780.61, representing a 3.8% increase over the total hospitalization costs. Conclusions: In-hospital mortality in HF patients at HUVV is strongly associated with advanced age, disease severity, and multiple comorbidities. Treatment with ACEIs or ARBs was associated with a lower likelihood of in-hospital mortality. Preventable added morbidity was associated with increased healthcare costs, highlighting the importance of infection control measures and multidisciplinary management to potentially improve outcomes and reduce costs.