Impact of Validated Diagnostic Prediction Model of Acute Heart Failure in the Emergency Department

Analysis of the Impact of Using a Validated Diagnostic Prediction Model of Acute Heart Failure in the Emergency Department

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a validated diagnostic prediction model in the appropriate diagnosis of Acute Heart Failure (AHF) in patients presenting at the emergency department with undifferentiated dyspnea.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 18 years
• Presentation to the ED with undifferentiated shortness of breath

Exclusion Criteria:

• Dyspnea of obvious cause, e.g. chest trauma, obvious clinical exacerbation of known chronic obstructive disease
• Obvious pulmonary edema in a patient with a known diagnosis of HF and recently admitted to hospital for HF
• Clinician does not plan to treat for AHF at all, but rather to pursue other causes of dyspnea (i.e., probability of AHF ≤ 20%)
• Clinician plans to treat for AHF and not to pursue other causes of dyspnea (i.e., probability of AHF ≥ 80%)
• Acute coronary syndrome within one month
• Chronic renal failure (serum creatinine ≥ 250 mol/l)
• Anticipated life expectancy < 6 months due to non-cardiovascular causes
• Participation in another interventional outcome trial
• Inability to obtain informed consent, including inability of patient to understand English