Hospital Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes of hospitalizations for elderly adults in the United States. One in 5 Americans will be >65 years of age by 2050. Because of the high prevalence of HF in this group, the number of Americans requiring hospitalization for this disorder is expected to rise significantly. We reviewed the most recent and ongoing studies and recommendations for the management of patients hospitalized due to decompensated HF. The Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry, together with the 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation and American Heart Association heart failure guidelines, earlier retrospective and prospective studies including the Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation (DOSE), the Trial of Intensified vs Standard Medical Therapy in the Elderly Patients With Congestive Heart Failure (TIME-CHF), the Organized Program to Initiate Lifesaving Treatment in Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure (OPTIMIZE-HF), the Rapid Emergency Department Heart Failure Outpatient Trial (REDHOT) and the Comparison of Medical, Pacing and Defibrillation Therapies in Heart Failure (COMPANION) trial were reviewed for current practices pertaining to these patients. Gaps in our knowledge of optimal use of patient-specific information (biomarkers and comorbid conditions) still exist.