February 1, 1994
View Full PaperPrognosis in Congestive Heart Failure
Key Result
Quantitative estimates of survival using prognostic variables and treatments like vasodilators should be used to make informed benefit-to-risk assessments in patients with heart failure.
Structured PICO
Do vasodilators improve survival in patients with heart failure?
P
Population
Patients with heart failure
I
Intervention
Vasodilators
O
Outcome
Survivalhard clinical
Prognostic variables such as ejection fraction and peak oxygen consumption should be used alongside treatment effects to make informed benefit-to-risk assessments in heart failure.
Abstract
Prognostic variables such as the ejection fraction and peak oxygen consumption can be used to place patients with heart failure in risk strata. Some vasodilators have been shown to improve survival at all stages of heart failure with the probability of benefit increasing as the prognosis worsens. Quantitative estimates of survival among groups defined by prognostic variables and treatments should be used to make more informed benefit-to-risk assessments.