Dying from heart failure in hospital: palliative decision making analysis.

Heart failure is the only cardiovascular disease whose prevalence, incidence, and mortality is increasing.1 Modern treatments for heart failure slow but do not stop its progression. The course of the disease is difficult to predict; patients hospitalised for acute exacerbation of severe heart failure have a generally poor six months survival rate, but survivors retain relatively good functional status.2 Prognostic criteria in seriously ill patients with heart failure are not effective in identifying which population will still be alive six months later.3 Frequently quality of life in heart failure patients is poor and death occurs in the …