Prognosis

• increasing age ^b
• male sex ^b
• severe heart failure (NYHA class III or IV)  ^b
• had a previous stroke  ^b
• atrial fibrillation  ^b
• diabetes mellitus ^b
• syncope ^b  

Why?

Severe heart failure and cardiovascular risk factors increase the risk of dying

Patient b	Prognostic Factor	Outcome	CER	OR (95% CI)	NNF+ (95% CI)
heart failure	NYHA class III or IV independent	death at 3 years	24%	1.74 (1.53 to 1.97)	9 (7 to 12)
heart failure	prior stroke  independent	death at 3 years	24%	1.43 (1.20 to 1.71)	194 (9 to 29)
heart failure	atrial fibrillation independent	death at 3 years	24%	1.34 (1.12 to 1.62)	18 (10 to 48)
heart failure	diabetes mellitus independent	death at 3 years	24%	1.34 (1.19 to 1.51)	18 (12 to 30)