Framingham Criteria for Diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure

 

Criteria for the definite diagnosis of congestive heart failure:

(1) concurrent presence of 2 major, OR

(2) concurrent presence of 1 major and 2 minor criteria

 

Major criteria:

(1) paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea or orthopnea

(2) cardiomegaly

(3) acute pulmonary edema

(4) S3 gallop

(5) increased venous pressure > 16 cm of water

(6) circulation time > 25 seconds

(7) hepatojugular reflux

 

Either major or minor:

(1) weight loss > 4.5 kilograms in 5 days in response to treatment

 

Minor criteria:

(1) ankle edema

(2) night cough

(3) dyspnea on exertion

(4) hepatomegaly

(5) pleural effusion

(6) vital capacity decreased one third from maximum

(7) tachycardia with heart rate > 120 beats per minute

 

where:

• 1 cm H2O = 0.736 mm Hg (10 / 13.6)