Simple clinical criteria to determine the prognosis of heart failure.

Objective: To determine whether easily obtained clinical parameters serve as predictors of survival in patients with congestive heart failure. Several scoring systems to predict heart failure survival have been developed; however, many of these deal principally with transplant recipients or do not account for a patient's response to therapy.

Methods: A total of 680 patients with an ejection fraction of less than 40% were included in the analysis.

Amiodarone rescue therapy for severe decompensated heart failure initially unsuitable for beta-blockers.

Background: Beta-blocker therapy is now standard therapy for patients with stable heart failure; however, fluid-overloaded, New York Heart Association Class IV patients tolerate beta-blockers poorly. Amiodarone, a drug with antiadrenergic effects, has been shown to improve survival for patients with heart rates of 90 beats per minute or greater.

Methods: We reviewed 26 patients with severe decompensated heart failure who were started on oral amiodarone for heart rate control.