Prognostic scores in heart failure - Critical appraisal and practical use

•We appraised the steps required to develop a prognostic model in heart failure.•The review focus on acute, outpatients and electrical therapy eligible patients.•A systematic PubMed literature search was performed.•Fundamental characteristics of each risk scores category have been discussed.•All models have been compared according to pre-specified criteria.

Survival in patients with heart failure in the last two decades has significantly improved, owing to availability of new drugs, devices, and technologies. However, these new therapeutic tools are often costly and not without attendant risks. Thus, accurate and reproducible risk stratification is required to assess appropriateness of therapy. Although a growing body of evidence has characterized various predictors of poor outcomes, the application of comprehensive prognostic models in clinical practice remains limited. Herein, we critically evaluate the utility of prognostic scores in heart failure, discussing the strategies to select the most efficient and appropriate risk estimator in the individual patient.