The American College of Cardiology has issued updated guidance on managing patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) to provide a decision-making pathway that tailors therapy to clinical trajectory to better manage disease. The updated Expert Consensus Decision Pathway incorporates the latest evidence to provide guidance for clinicians to use at the point of care in conjunction with the 2022 ACC/AHA Heart Failure Guideline. Heart failure refers to several conditions that can affect the way the heart works, its structure or both.
Over time, heart failure makes it harder for the heart to pump enough blood and oxygen to meet your body's needs. It affects nearly 6.7 million Americans, and that number continues to increase.
Inpatient admissions for HF are associated with high mortality-;20% to 30% risk of death within one year-;and readmissions and subsequent health events are common. HF symptoms often improve quickly during HF hospitalization, but episodes of worsening HF can mark a fundamental change in the HF trajectory. Clinicians should be assessing and optimizing therapy during a hospital stay to not only provide a good clinical response in the hospital but also to address a patient's long-term trajectory after discharge.
The updated ECDP places increased emphasis on establishing all four pillars of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for HFrEF in the hospital, when possible, along with ensuring appropriate follow-up to monitor tolerance and continue medication." St.