A Strategy for Real-Time Identification of Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure

摘要

Mr. Smith, 68 years of age, has a history of heart failure and diabetes. He was admitted to the hospital with a chief complaint of chest tightness and was also found to have bilateral lower extremity edema and progressive shortness of breath. After two doses of intravenous diuretics, he was feeling better and was able to ambulate without difficulty. He was discharged from the hospital the following day. Because his admitting diagnosis was "chest pain," Mr. Smith was not identified as a patient with a heart failure exacerbation and left the hospital without any specific education or instructions about how to manage his acute or chronic heart failure disease process.