Is it time for Heart–Brain clinics? A clinical survey and proposition to improve current care for cognitive problems in heart failure

Background: Cognitive impairment is highly prevalent among patients with heart failure (HF). International guidelines on the management of HF recommend screening for cognitive impairment and tailored care for patients with cognitive impairment. However, practical guidance is lacking. In this study, we explore cardiologists' perspective on screening and care for cognitive impairment in patients with HF. We give an example of a multidisciplinary Heart–Brain care pathway that facilitates screening for cognitive impairment in patients with HF. Methods: We distributed an online survey to cardiologists from the Dutch working groups on Geriatric Cardiology and Heart Failure. It covered questions about current clinical practice, impact of cognitive impairment on clinical decision-making, and their knowledge and skills to recognize cognitive impairment. Results: Thirty-six out of 55 invited cardiologists responded. Only 3% performed structured cognitive screening, while 83% stated that not enough attention is paid to cognitive impairment. More than half of the cardiologists desired more training in recognizing cognitive impairment and three-quarters indicated that knowing about cognitive impairment would change their treatment plan. Eighty percent agreed that systematic cognitive screening would benefit their patients and 74% wished to implement a Heart–Brain clinic. Time and expertise were addressed as the major barriers to screening for cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Although cardiologists are aware of the clinical relevance of screening for cognitive impairment in cardiology patients, such clinical conduct is not yet commonly practiced due to lack of time and expertise. The Heart–Brain care pathway could facilitate this screening, thus improving personalized care in cardiology.