During the past two decades, heart failure has emerged as a major chronic disease among the elderly population in the major pharmaceutical markets. The leading cause of hospitalization among patients over the age of 65 in Western markets, heart failure represents a major burden for healthcare systems but is a highly attractive development market for pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

• 183 physician interviews carried out across the seven major pharmaceutical markets, including cardiologists and primary care physicians
• Key opinion leader interviews carried out with heart failure specialists
• Estimated prevalence and incidence of heart failure by country for the seven major pharmaceutical markets
• Detailed treatment trees to show chronic and acute heart failure patient flows at country levels

The diagnosis and treatment of chronic heart failure is sub-optimal with physicians failing to follow established guidelines. This suggests the need for continued physician education and a greater communication between the various physician types who manage heart failure patients.

Prevention along with improved treatment may be needed to stem the growth of heart failure and limit the societal burden of the disease.

Datamonitor's primary research reveals that acute heart failure patients experience a high rate of re-hospitalization, suggesting that there is a strong unmet need for more effective treatment in acute heart failure in order to improve outcomes. New therapeutic options may provide a solution to this issue.

• Identify the future direction of therapy, the remaining unmet needs, and the opportunities for both pharmaceutical and medical device companies
• Determine when and how therapies are prescribed, which compounds within each class lead prescriptions, and understand physician prescribing practices
• Examine best patient treatment protocols and improvements that need to be made to produce better patient outcomes