Acute Heart Failure – Emergency Management (AHF-EM)

  • Study cohort: patients presenting with suspected acute heart failure (AHF) at Edmonton hospital emergency departments (EDs) with diagnosis confirmation (e.g. by testing for AHF biomarkers such as b-type natriuretic peptide [BNP]).
  • Data analyzed include laboratory data/biomarkers, medications, history, EF, echocardiograms (ECGs), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc. from the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) and the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS), and Alberta Vital Statistics.
  • These data have been used for several research projects, including the following:
    • Determining outcome differences between patients with AHF who self-transport to EDs versus those who arrive by ambulance.
    • Determining outcome differences between AHF patients discharged from the ED versus those admitted to hospital.
    • Evaluation of outcomes for all AHF patients.
    • Developing models predicting prognoses at (i) time of ambulance attendance, (ii) time of ED presentation, and (iii) time of discharge or hospital admittance from the ED.
  • CVC faculty involvement: Justin Ezekowitz, Finlay McAlister