| Table 28: Should the patient be admitted to hospital or discharged home? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Variable | Consider for Hospital Admission | Consider for Discharge Home with Close Follow-up |
| Current clinical status | NYHA III / IV | NYHA II |
| Amount of improvement | Minimal or modest | Significant |
| O2 saturation on room air | < 91% | ≥ 92% |
| Systolic blood pressure | < 90-100 mmHg | > 100 mmHg or similar to prior |
| Heart rate | ≥ 90 bpm | < 90 bpm |
| Respiratory rate | > 20 breaths per minute | ≤ 20 breaths per minute |
| ECG findings | Active ischemia; ventricular arrhythmia; atrial arrhythmia not under control | Baseline |
| Renal function | Worsening | Stable |
| Comorbidity | Other comorbid condition requiring admission; syncope; pneumonia | |
| Other | New diagnosis of HF | Established etiology and precipitant |
| Follow-up | Uncertain | Established / Organized |
All of the features should be considered in disposition decisions.
bpm, beats per minute;