Cardiothoracic ratio >0.50 (posteroanterior projection) 3 points
Upper zone flow redistribution 2 points
No more than 4 points are allowed from each of three categories; hence the composite score (the sum of the subtotal from each category) has a possible maximum of 12 points.
The diagnosis of heart failure is classified as "definite" at a score of 8 to 12 points, "possible" at a score of 5 to 7 points, and "unlikely" at a score of 4 points or less.
2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Heart Failure Guideline (DO NOT EDIT) [2]
"1. In patients with hypertension, blood pressure should be controlled in accordance with GDMT for hypertension to prevent symptomatic HF (Level of Evidence A).
"2. In patients with type 2 diabetes and either established CVD or at high cardiovascular risk, SGLT2i should be used to prevent hospitalization for HF (Level of Evidence A).
"3. In the general population, healthy lifestyle habits such as regular physical activity, maintaining normal weight, healthy dietary patterns, and avoiding smoking are helpful to reduce future risk of HF (Level of Evidence B-NR).
"1. For patients at risk of developing HF, natriuretic peptide biomarker-based screening followed by team-based care, including a cardiovascular specialist optimizing GDMT, can be useful to prevent the development of LV dysfunction (systolic or diastolic) or new-onset HF (Level of Evidence: B-R).
"2. In the general population, validated multivariable risk scores can be useful to estimate subsequent risk of incident HF (Level of Evidence: B-NR).
"1. In patients with LVEF ≤40%, ACEi should be used to prevent symptomatic HF and reduce mortality (Level of Evidence: A) "
"2. In patients with a recent or remote history of MI or ACS, statins should be used to prevent symptomatic HF and adverse cardiovascular events. (Level of Evidence: A) "
"3. In patients with a recent MI and LVEF ≤40% who are intolerant to ACEi, ARB should be used to prevent symptomatic HF and reduce mortality (Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"4. In patients with a recent or remote history of MI or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and LVEF ≤40%, evidence-based beta blockers should be used to reduce mortality (Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"5. In patients who are at least 40 days post-MI with LVEF ≤30% and NYHA class I symptoms while obtaining GDMT and have a reasonable expectation of noteworthy survival for >1 year, an ICD is suggested for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) to reduce total mortality (Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"6. In patients with LVEF ≤40%, beta blockers should be used to prevent symptomatic HF. (Level of Evidence: C-LD) "
"1. In patients with LVEF <50%, thiazolidinediones should not be used because they raise the risk of HF, including hospitalizations(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"2. In patients with LVEF <50%, nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers with negative inotropic effects may be harmful.(Level of Evidence: C- LD) "
"1. Patients with HF should receive care from multidisciplinary units to facilitate the performance of GDMT, address possible barriers to self-care, decrease the risk of succeeding rehospitalization for HF, and enhance survival (Level of Evidence A)"
"2. Patients with HF should receive specific education and support to facilitate HF self-care in a multidisciplinary manner (Level of Evidence B-R)".
"1. In patients with HF, vaccinating against respiratory illnesses is reasonable to reduce mortality (Level of Evidence B-R)".
"2. In adults with HF, screening for depression, social isolation, frailty, and low health literacy as risk factors for poor self-care is reasonable to improve management (Level of Evidence B-R)".
The AHA currently advises cutting sodium intake to under 2300 mg per day to promote overall cardiovascular health, yet there are no studies that back up this amount of limitation. When combined with dietary counseling, the DASH diet can achieve salt restriction without sacrificing nutritional adequacy and may be linked to fewer hospitalizations for HF. Also, it is high in antioxidants and potassium. [2]
Activity, Exercise Prescription, and Cardiac Rehabilitation. 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Heart Failure Guideline (DO NOT EDIT)
"1. For patients with HF who are competent of participating, exercise training (or regular physical activity) is advised to enhance the functional status, exercise routine, and QOL (Level of Evidence A)"
"1. In patients with HF, a cardiac rehabilitation program can be helpful to improve functional capacity, exercise tolerance, and health-related quality of life (Level of Evidence B-NR)".
"1. In patients with HF who have fluid retention, diuretics are recommended to relieve conges-tion, improve symptoms, and prevent worsening HF (Level of Evidence B -NR)"
"2. For patients with HF and congestive symptoms, the addition of a thiazide (eg, metolazone) to therapy with a loop diuretic should be dedicated for patients who do not react to moderate- or high-dose loop diuretics to minimize electrolyte anomalies (Level of Evidence B-NR)".
The majority of HF patients utilize loop diuretics as their first diuretic choice. Patients with hypertension, HF, and modest fluid retention may be candidates for thiazide diuretics such as chlorthalidone or hydrochlorothiazide. In patients with persistent edema that does not respond to loop diuretics alone, metolazone or chlorothiazide may be given in addition to loop diuretics. Diuretics should never be administered alone; instead, they should be used in conjunction with other GDMT for HF to lower hospitalization rates and increase survival[2].
Pharmacological Treatment for HFrEF. 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Heart Failure Guideline (DO NOT EDIT)
Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibition With ACEi or ARB or ARNi
"1. In patients with HFrEF and NYHA class II to III symptoms, the use of ARNi is recommended to reduce morbidity and mortality (Level of Evidence: A) "
"2. In patients with previous or current symptoms of chronic HFrEF, the use of ACEi is beneficial to reduce morbidity and mortality when the use of ARNi is not feasible (Level of Evidence: A) "
"3. In patients with previous or current symptoms of chronic HFrEF who are intolerant to ACEi because of cough or angioedema and when the use of ARNi is not feasible, the use of ARB is recommended to reduce morbidity and mortality(Level of Evidence: A) "
Value Statement: High Value (A): "4. In patients with previous or current symptoms of chronic HFrEF, in whom ARNi is not feasible, treatment with an ACEi or ARB provides high economic value
"5. In patients with chronic symptomatic HFrEF NYHA class II or III who tolerate an ACEi or ARB, replacement by an ARNi is recommended to further reduce morbidity and mortality(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
Value Statement: High Value (A): In patients with chronic symptomatic HFrEF, treatment with an ARNi instead of an ACEi provides high economic value.
"1. In patients with HFrEF, with current or previous symptoms, use of 1 of the 3 beta blockers proven to reduce mortality (eg, bisoprolol, carvedilol, sustained-release metoprolol succinate) is recommended to reduce mortality and hospitalization (Level of Evidence A)"
Value Statement: High Value (A): In patients with HFrEF, with current or previous symptoms, beta-blocker therapy provides high economic value
"1. In patients with HFrEF and NYHA class II to IV symptoms, an MRA (spironolactone or eplerenone) is recommended to reduce morbidity and mortality, if eGFR is >30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and serum potassium is <5.0 mEq/L. Careful monitoring of potassium, renal function, and diuretic dosing should be performed at initiation and closely monitored thereafter to minimize risk of hyperkalemia and renal insufficiency(Level of Evidence A)"
Value Statement: High Value (A): In patients with HFrEF and NYHA class II to IV symptoms, MRA therapy provides high economic value.
"1. In patients with symptomatic chronic HFrEF, SGLT2i are advised to decrease hospitalization for HF and cardiovascular mortality, irrespective of the existence of type 2 diabetes(Level of Evidence A)"
Value Statement: High Value (A): In patients with symptomatic chronic HFrEF, SGLT2i medicine supplies medium economic value
"1. In patients with HFrEF and NYHA class II to IV symptoms, an MRA (spironolactone or eplerenone) is recommended to reduce morbidity and mortality, if eGFR is >30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and serum potassium is <5.0 mEq/L. Careful monitoring of potassium, renal function, and diuretic dosing should be performed at initiation and closely monitored thereafter to minimize risk of hyperkalemia and renal insufficiency(Level of Evidence A)"
Value Statement: High Value (B-NR): For patients self-identified as African American with NYHA class III to IV HFrEF who are receiving optimal medical therapy with ACEi or ARB, beta-blockers, and MRA, the combination of hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate provides high economic value
"1. In patients with existing or prior symptomatic HFrEF who cannot be given first-line agents, such as ARNi, ACEi, or ARB, because of drug intolerance or renal insufficiency, a mixture of hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate might be considered to reduce morbidity and mortality (Level of Evidence C-LD)".
"1. In patients with HF class II to IV symptoms, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation may be suitable to use as adjunctive therapy to decrease mortality and cardiovascular hospitalization (Level of Evidence B-R)".
''2. In patients with HF who experience hyperkalemia (serum potassium level ≥5.5 mEq/L) while taking a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor (RAASi), the effectiveness of potassium binders (patiromer, sodium zirconium cyclosilicate) to improve outcomes by facilitating the continuation of RAASi therapy is uncertain (Level of Evidence B-R)"
"1. In patients with chronic HFrEF without a precise indication (eg, venous thromboembolism [VTE], AF, a prior thromboembolic event, or a cardioembolic source), anticoagulation is not suggested(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"1. In patients with HFrEF, dihydropyridine calcium channel-blocking drugs are not recommended therapy for HF(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"2. In patients with HFrEF, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and hormonal therapy are not guided other than to rectify specific deficiencies (Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"3. In patients with HFrEF, nondihydropyridine calcium channel-blocking drugs are not recommended(Level of Evidence: A) "
"4. In patients with HFrEF, class IC antiarrhythmic medications and dronedarone may increase the risk of mortality .(Level of Evidence: A) "
"5.In patients with HFrEF, thiazolidinediones increase the risk of worsening HF symptoms and hospitalization .(Level of Evidence: C- A) "
"6. In patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, the dipeptidyl pepti-dase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors saxagliptin and alogliptin increase the risk of HF hospitaliza-tion and should be avoided in patients with H F (Level of Evidence: B-R)''
"7.In patients with HFrEF, NSAIDs worsen HF symptoms and should be avoided or withdrawn whenever possible (Level of Evidence: B-NR)''
"1. In patients with HFrEF, titration of guideline-directed medication dosing to reach target doses demonstrated to be efficacious in RCTs is required, to diminish cardiovascular mortality and HF hospitalizations, unless not sufficiently accepted Level of Evidence A)"
" 2. In patients with HFrEF, titration, and optimization of guideline-directed medications as frequently as every 1 to 2 weeks relying on the patient’s symptoms, vital signs, and laboratory results can be helpful to optimize management (Level of Evidence C-LD)".
" 1. For patients with symptomatic (NYHA class II to III) stable chronic HFrEF (LVEF ≤35%) who are obtaining GDMT, including a beta blocker at the maximum accepted dose, and who are in sinus rhythm with a heart rate of ≥70 bpm at rest, ivabradine can be advantageous to decrease HF hospitalizations and cardiovascular death(Level of Evidence B-R)".
" 1. In patients with symptomatic HFrEF despite GDMT (or who are unable to tolerate GDMT), digoxin might be considered to decrease hospitalizations for HF (Level of Evidence B-R)".
" 1. In selected high-risk patients with HFrEF and recent worsening of HF already on GDMT, an oral soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator (vericiguat) may be considered to reduce HF hospitalization and cardiovascular death(Level of Evidence B-R)".
"1. In patients with nonischemic DCM or ischemic heart disease at least 40 days post-MI with LVEF ≤35% and NYHA class II or III symptoms on chronic GDMT, who keep a reasonable expectation of noteworthy survival for >1 year, ICD therapy is guided for primary prevention of SCD to decrease total mortality (Level of Evidence: A) "
"2. Value Statement: High Value (A): A transvenous ICD delivers high financial value in the primary prevention of SCD particularly when the patient’s risk of death provoked by ventricular arrhythmia is deemed high and the risk of non arrhythmic death (either cardiac or noncardiac) is deemed low founded on the patient’s burden of comorbidities and functional status
"3. In patients at least 40 days post-MI with LVEF ≤30% and NYHA class I symptoms while obtaining GDMT, who maintain a reasonable expectation of noteworthy survival for >1 year, ICD therapy is guided for primary prevention of SCD to reduce total mortality (Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"4. For patients who have LVEF ≤35%, sinus rhythm, left bundle branch block (LBBB) with a QRS duration ≥150 ms, and NYHA class II, III, or ambulatory IV symptoms on GDMT, CRT is demonstrated to decrease total mortality, decrease hospitalizations, and enhance symptoms and QOL(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
5. Value Statement: High Value (B-NR): "4. In patients with previous or current symptoms of chronic HFrEF, in whom ARNi is not feasible, treatment with an ACEi or ARB provides high economic value
" 6. For patients who have LVEF ≤35%, sinus rhythm, a non-LBBB pattern with a QRS duration ≥150 ms, and NYHA class II, III, or ambulatory class IV symptoms on GDMT, CRT can be useful to reduce total mortality, reduce hospitalizations, and improve symptoms and QOL (Level of Evidence B-R)".
'' 7. In patients with high-degree or complete heart block and LVEF of 36% to 50%, CRT is reasonable to reduce total mortality, reduce hospitalizations, and improve symptoms and QOL (Level of Evidence B-R)''
''8. For patients who have LVEF ≤35%, sinus rhythm, LBBB with a QRS duration of 120 to 149 ms, and NYHA class II, III, or ambulatory IV symptoms on GDMT, CRT can be useful to reduce total mortality, reduce hospitalizations, and improve symptoms and QOL (Level of Evidence B- NR)''
''9. In patients with AF and LVEF ≤35% on GDMT, CRT can be useful to reduce total mortality, improve symptoms and QOL, and increase LVEF, if: a) the patient requires ventricular pacing or otherwise meets CRT criteria and b) atrioventricular nodal ablation or pharmacologic rate control will allow near 100% ventricular pacing with CRT. (Level of Evidence B- NR)''
'' 10. For patients on GDMT who have LVEF ≤35% and are undergoing placement of a new or replacement device implantation with anticipated requirement for significant (>40%) ventricular pacing, CRT can be useful to reduce total mortality, reduce hospitalizations and improve symptoms and QOL (Level of Evidence B- NR)''
11. ''In patients with genetic arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy with high-risk features of sudden death, with EF ≤45%, implantation of ICD is reasonable to decrease sudden death (Level of evidence B- NR)''
"12. For patients who have LVEF ≤35%, sinus rhythm, a non-LBBB pattern with QRS duration of 120 to 149 ms, and NYHA class III or ambulatory class IV on GDMT, CRT may be considered to reduce total mortality, reduce hospitalizations, and improve symptoms and QOL (Level of Evidence:B-NR) "
''13. For patients who have LVEF ≤30%, ischemic cause of HF, sinus rhythm, LBBB with a QRS duration ≥150 ms, and NYHA class I symptoms on GDMT, CRT may be considered to reduce hospitalizations and improve symptoms and QOL (Level of Evidence:B-NR)''
"14. In patients with QRS duration <120 ms, CRT is not recommended(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"15. For patients with NYHA class I or II symptoms and non-LBBB pattern with QRS duration <150 ms, CRT is not recommended.(Level of Evidence: B-NR) "
"16. For patients whose comorbidities or frailty limit survival with a good functional capacity to <1 year, ICD and cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillation (CRT-D) are not indicated.(Level of Evidence: C- LD) "
"1. In selected patients with HF, reduced EF (EF ≤35%), and suitable coronary anatomy, surgical revascularization plus GDMT is worthwhile to improve symptoms, cardiovascular hospitalizations, and long-term all-cause mortality(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"1. In patients with HF, VHD should be managed in a multidisciplinary manner in accordance with clinical practice guidelines for VHD to prevent worsening of HF and adverse clinical outcomes (Level of Evidence: B-R) "
''2. In patients with chronic severe secondary MR and HFrEF, optimization of GDMT is recommended before any intervention for secondary MR related to LV dysfunction (Level of Evidence: C-LD) "
"2. Among patients with current or previous symptomatic HFmrEF (LVEF, 41%–49%), use of evidence-based beta blockers for HFrEF, ARNi, ACEi, or ARB, and MRAs may be considered to reduce the risk of HF hospitalization and cardiovascular mortality, particularly among patients with LVEF on the lower end of this spectrum (Level of Evidence:B-NR) "
"1. In patients with HFimpEF after treatment, GDMT should be continued to prevent relapse of HF and LV dysfunction, even in patients who may become asymptomatic.(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"1. Patients with HFpEF and hypertension should have medication titrated to attain blood pressure targets in accordance with published clinical practice guidelines to prevent morbidity(Level of Evidence: C-LD) "
" 4. I selected patients with HFpEF, MRAs may be considered to decrease hospitalizations, par-icularly among patients with LVEF on the lower end of this spectrrum Level of Evidence B-R)".
'' 5. n selected patients with HFpEF, the use of ARB may be considered to decrease hospital-zations, particularly among patients with LVEF on the lower end of this spectru(m Level of Evidence B-R)''
''6. In selected patients with HFpEF, ARNi may be considered to decrease hospitalizations, particularly among patients with LVEF on the lower end of this spectrum (Level of Evidence B- NR)''
"7. In patients with HFpEF, routine use of nitrates or phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors to increase activity or QOL is ineffective (Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"1. Patients for whom there is a clinical suspicion for cardiac amyloidosis should have screening for serum and urine monoclonal light chains with serum and urine immunofixation electrophoresis and serum free light chains(Level of Evidence: B-NR) "
"2. In patients with high clinical suspicion for cardiac amyloidosis, without evidence of serum or urine monoclonal light chains, bone scintigraphy should be performed to confirm the presence of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (Level of Evidence: B-NR) "
"3. In patients for whom a diagnosis of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis is made, genetic testing with TTR gene sequencing is recommended to differentiate hereditary variant from wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis(Level of Evidence: B-NR) "
Clinical suspicion for cardiac amyloidosis: LV wall thickness ≥14 mm in conjunction with fatigue, dyspnea, or edema, especially in the context of discordance between wall thickness on echocardiogram and QRS voltage on an ECG, and in the context of aortic stenosis, HFpEF, carpal tunnel syndrome, spinal stenosis, and autonomic or sensory polyneuropathy [2]
"1. In select patients with wild-type or variant transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis and NYHA class I to III HF symptoms, transthyretin tetramer stabilizer therapy (tafamidis) is indicated to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality(Level of Evidence: B-R) "
"2. Value Statement: High Value (B- NR): At 2020 list prices, tafamidis provides low economic value (>$180 000 per QALY gained) in patients with HF with wild-type or variant transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis
''3. In patients with cardiac amyloidosis and AF, anticoagulation is reasonable to reduce the risk of stroke regardless of the CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke or transient ischemic attack, vascular disease, age 65 to 74 years, sex category (Level of Evidence: C-LD)''
↑ 1.01.1McDonagh TA, Metra M, Adamo M, Gardner RS, Baumbach A, Böhm M, Burri H, Butler J, Čelutkienė J, Chioncel O, Cleland J, Coats A, Crespo-Leiro MG, Farmakis D, Gilard M, Heymans S, Hoes AW, Jaarsma T, Jankowska EA, Lainscak M, Lam C, Lyon AR, McMurray J, Mebazaa A, Mindham R, Muneretto C, Francesco Piepoli M, Price S, Rosano G, Ruschitzka F, Kathrine Skibelund A (September 2021). "2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure". Eur Heart J. 42 (36): 3599–3726. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehab368. PMID34447992Check |pmid= value (help). Vancouver style error: initials (help)
↑Heidenreich PA, Bozkurt B, Aguilar D, Allen LA, Byun JJ, Colvin MM, Deswal A, Drazner MH, Dunlay SM, Evers LR, Fang JC, Fedson SE, Fonarow GC, Hayek SS, Hernandez AF, Khazanie P, Kittleson MM, Lee CS, Link MS, Milano CA, Nnacheta LC, Sandhu AT, Stevenson LW, Vardeny O, Vest AR, Yancy CW (May 2022). "2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines". Circulation. 145 (18): e895–e1032. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001063. PMID35363499Check |pmid= value (help).