Kerzner et al evaluated risk factors for mortality in patients with heart failure, after separating patients by age and left ventricular ejection fraction. The authors are from Washington University in St Louis, Missouri.
Breakpoints for groups:
(1) age < 75 years vs >= 75 years
(2) left ventricular ejection fraction >= 40% (preserved) vs < 40% (reduced)
Group |
Independent Predictors of Mortality |
age < 75 years LVEF >= 40% |
male gender prescribed calcium channel blocker on discharge diuretic dose at discharge furosemide > 40 mg |
age < 75 years LVEF < 40% |
increasing blood urea nitrogen (renal dysfunction) increasing anemia not prescribed beta blocker at discharge |
age >= 75 years LVEF >= 40% |
increasing blood urea nitrogen (renal dysfunction) |
age >= 75 years LVEF < 40% |
increasing age history of myocardial infarction severity of reduction in LVEF diuretic dose at discharge furosemide > 40 mg |
where:
• Higher diuretic dose at discharge may reflect renal dysfunction.
Implementation note:
• Much of the data deals with intervals, making implementation difficult. I tried to approximate a risk score, but this has not been tested or validated.
Specialty: Cardiology
ICD-10: ,