Annual Cardiologist Visits Linked to Lower Mortality in Heart Failure Patients

A recent study published in the European Heart Journal indicates that heart failure patients who do not consult a cardiologist at least once a year significantly increase their risk of mortality. The research highlights that only about 60% of individuals with heart failure receive annual visits with a cardiologist, which is markedly lower than the expected follow-up seen in cancer treatment.

The study, presented at the Heart Failure Congress 2025, found that patients who had at least one consultation with a cardiologist in a year had a 24% lower risk of dying within the subsequent year. Researchers suggest that systematic cardiology appointments could save one life for every 11 to 16 patients treated.

Led by a team from the Clinical Investigation Center of Nancy University Hospital, the study analyzed data from over 655,000 heart failure patients diagnosed within the previous five years. Researchers categorized patients based on their hospitalization history and whether they were prescribed diuretics, medications that help manage fluid retention.

Among the patients studied, nearly 40% did not see a cardiologist in a year. Those who did were less likely to die or face hospitalization due to heart failure in the year following their consultation. The researchers developed a model to optimize cardiology visits based on recent hospitalizations and diuretic use, suggesting varying frequencies for consultations:

• Patients without recent hospitalization and not on diuretics should have one visit per year, reducing death risk from 13% to 6.7%.
• Those not recently hospitalized but on diuretics should see a cardiologist two to three times a year, lowering their death risk from 21.3% to 11.9%.
• Patients hospitalized within the last five years, but not the last year, would benefit from two to three visits annually, decreasing their risk from 24.8% to 12.9%.
• For patients who were hospitalized in the last year, four visits to a cardiologist are optimal, reducing their risk of death from 34.3% to 18.2%.

While the study establishes a correlation between cardiologist visits and reduced mortality, the researchers noted limitations inherent to observational studies. They emphasized that the findings should encourage patients, especially those recently hospitalized or on diuretics, to seek cardiology consultations.

The study also revealed that demographic factors affect cardiology access. Older individuals, women, and those with chronic comorbidities, such as diabetes or respiratory issues, are less likely to receive cardiology care. The researchers advocate for more systematic referrals to cardiology for heart failure patients, akin to the established protocol for cancer care.

Future research is planned to validate these findings through interventional clinical trials and to explore the implications of cardiology follow-ups in various healthcare systems globally. An accompanying editorial from a leading cardiologist highlighted that despite significant advances in heart failure treatment, many patients still do not receive optimal care, underscoring the necessity of improving cardiology access.