Utilization and outcome of coronary revascularization and valve procedures in acute heart failure - an evaluation based on the classification from the European Society of Cardiology

a Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital North Norway, 9038 Tromsø, Norway b Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway *Corresponding author. Tel.: +47-97666411, fax: +47-77628298. E-mail address : Stig.Eggen.Hermansen{at}unn.no (S.E. Hermansen). Early invasive treatments in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) are critical components to improve outcome. We aimed to establish if such treatments were applied according to existing guidelines and also to assess the subsequent mortality in the complete AHF population. All patients with AHF admitted to the intensive care unit/coronary care unit during the years 2003–2004 ( n =302) were retrospectively reviewed and classified according to the European Society of Cardiology. Invasive revascularization was applied more frequently in patients with cardiogenic shock following acute coronary syndromes (78%, n =40) than in less severe AHF (58%, n =62, P