Roadmap for the management of heart failure patients during the vulnerable phase after heart failure hospitalizations: how to implement excellence in clinical practice

Patients discharged after an episode of acute heart failure have an increased risk of hospitalizations and deaths within the subsequent 3 months. This phase is commonly called the ‘vulnerable period’ and it represents a window of opportunity of intervention in order to improve longer term outcomes. Prompt identification of signs of residual haemodynamic congestion is a priority in planning for the out-of-hospital management strategies. Patients will also need to be screened for frailty and have a prioritization of the management of their comorbidities. Life-saving medications should be started together or in a short time and up-titrated (when needed) according to blood pressure, heart rate and concomitant comorbidities. Ideally, patients should be assessed by their general practitioner within 1 week of discharge and have a hospital/clinic follow-up within 4 weeks of discharge. Patients should progressively resume physical activities and adhere to an educational programme with appropriate lifestyle adjustments best implemented during a cardiac rehabilitation programme.