PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Selim R. Krim AU - Patrick T. Campbell AU - Sapna Desai AU - Stacy Mandras AU - Hamang Patel AU - Clement Eiswirth AU - Hector O. Ventura TI - Management of Patients Admitted with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure DP - 2015 Sep 21 TA - Ochsner Journal PG - 284--289 VI - 15 IP - 3 4099 - http://www.ochsnerjournal.org/content/15/3/284.short 4100 - http://www.ochsnerjournal.org/content/15/3/284.full SO - Ochsner J2015 Sep 21; 15 AB - Background Hospital admission for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure is an unfortunate certainty in the vast majority of patients with heart failure. Regardless of the etiology, inpatient treatment for acute decompensated heart failure portends a worsening prognosis.Methods This review identifies patients with heart failure who need inpatient therapy and provides an overview of recommended therapies and management of these patients in the hospital setting.Results Inpatient therapy for patients with acute decompensated heart failure should be directed at decongestion and symptom improvement. Clinicians should also treat possible precipitating events, identify comorbid conditions that may exacerbate heart failure, evaluate and update current guideline-directed medical therapy, and perform risk stratification for all patients. Finally, efforts should be made to educate patients about the importance of restricting salt and fluid, monitoring daily weights, and adhering to a graded exercise program.Conclusion Early discharge follow-up and continued optimization of guideline-directed medical therapy are key to preventing future heart failure readmissions.