Evidence-based On-call

Congestive heart failure

Prognosis

Death is common ^a

, particularly with acute pulmonary oedema. Many patients die suddenly. ^a

Note:

One in seven patients with heart failure are dead within a year (15%: 95% CI: 13% to 17%) ^b . A quarter of patients with heart failure are dead within 3 years. (24%: 95% CI: 23% to 25%) ^b
A third of patients with severe heart failure are dead within a year (38%: 95% CI: 33% to 42%) ^a . One in seven die suddenly (14%: 95% CI: 11% to 17%) ^a
One in seven patients with acute pulmonary oedema die in hospital (15%: 95% CI: 9.6% to 19%) ^a