Heart

The number of patients has increased from 4,700 in 2015 to almost 9,400 in 2023, representing a doubling over the period. During the same period, the number of people in Norway aged 75 and over increased by 33%.

There was significant geographical variation in patient rates in 2023. The lowest rate was in the Innlandet catchment area, with 11.4 patients per 1,000 inhabitants, while the highest was in the Sørlandet catchment area, with 29.8.

In 2022, Finnmark Hospital Trust began establishing heart failure outpatient clinics. The rate for Finnmark had remained between 10 and 12.5 during the period 2015–2022, well below the national average. However, in 2023, the rate increased to 19, slightly below the national average. While the development in Finnmark resembled other catchment areas between these two points, the jump in Finnmark occurred in 2023 rather than gradually over the period, as seen in other areas.

Almost all catchment areas have seen a greater increase in the number of patients than in the number of residents during the period. The exception is the catchment area for Diakonhjemmet, where the number of patients has increased by 22%, while the number of residents has grown by 44%.

The number of consultations per patient saw a slight increase during the period, from 2.08 in 2015 to 2.33 in 2023. This value varied across catchment areas in 2023, ranging from 1.4 in Førde and 1.7 in Bergen to just over 3.5 in Finnmark and Lovisenberg.

There was no significant decline associated with the pandemic. For some catchment areas, rates increased, while for others, they decreased.

The number of procedures has increased over the period, from 4,300 in 2016 to 5,050 in 2023. At the same time, the rate per 1,000 inhabitants was stable during the period. The average age for pacemaker or defibrillator implantation was 75 years in 2023. Therefore, the increase in the number of procedures can largely be attributed to an aging population. Male patients accounted for approximately 65 % of the procedures in 2023. About 75% of the procedures are performed within their own health trust, but there are significant differences between the catchment areas.

There is considerable geographical variation in the number of procedures. The catchment areas with the highest rates perform about twice as many procedures per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the catchment areas with the lowest rates, and this variation is therefore classified as unwarranted. The catchment areas for Nord-Trøndelag, St. Olav, Førde, UNN, and Innlandet HF consistently have low rates, while the catchment areas for OUS and Lovisenberg HF consistently have high rates.

Nationally, 75 % of the procedures are regular pacemakers, 14 % are cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), and 11 % are implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD). The national rate for regular pacemakers has been stable over the period, the rate for ICDs has decreased, and the rate for CRT has increased over the period except for a decline in the last year.

The number of consultations for heart failure has increased from 9,800 in 2015 to almost 22,000 in 2023, an increase of 123%. During the same period, the number of people in Norway aged 75 and over increased by 33%.

In approximately 30% of the consultations in 2023, the patient was a woman.

There is significant geographical variation in consultation rates. In the catchment areas with the highest rates, nearly three times as many consultations per 1,000 inhabitants are conducted compared to those with the lowest rates. In 2023, the rates ranged from 24.2 in Førde to 84.5 in Lovisenberg.

The rate for Finnmark remained between 12 and 17 during the period 2015–2022, lower than in all other health trusts. In 2023, however, the rate increased to 67, placing it among the highest values. This increase may be explained by the establishment of heart failure outpatient clinics by Finnmark Hospital Trust in 2022, with clinics now operating in Kirkenes, Alta, and Hammerfest. This information is quoted from finnmarkssykehuset.no/nyheter.

The number of consultations per patient was 2.3 in 2023. This value varied across catchment areas, from 1.4 in Førde and 1.7 in Bergen to just over 3.5 in Finnmark and Lovisenberg.

There was no significant decline associated with the pandemic. For some catchment areas, the rate increased, while for others, it decreased.