Determining When Patients Hospitalized With Acute Heart Failure Can Be Safely Sent Home (The DECIDE Study)

A fundamental question faced by physicians treating acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF)
is "When has treatment worked sufficiently for safe discharge, and who requires further
treatment?" Patients with ADHF have a high incidence of morbidity and mortality. Current
guidelines for emergency department (ED) and hospital disposition of patients with ADHF are
based on limited empirical evidence. This creates clinical uncertainty regarding disposition
leads to prolonged hospitalizations, higher costs and increased resource consumption. The
specific aim of the study is to develop a prediction rule from readily available clinical
data to help physicians identify ADHF patients eligible for safe and early discharge from
the ED and hospital after treatment is initiated.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Fulfill the modified Framingham criteria

- Have baseline data available within 1 hour of initial ED therapy

- Have previously documented systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction less than 50%) by
echocardiogram

- Willing and able to give informed consent