NICE guideline on
chronic heart failure
Initiate treatment
Furosemide. If more than 40mg furosemide required, could the patient be given ACEI ?
Identify cause of failure
- ECG
LVSD likely if major abnormality- Atrial fibrillation
- Previous MI
- LV hypertrophy
- LBBB
- CXR
LVSD likely if major abnormality- Significant cardiomegaly
- Pulmonary congestion
- Blood tests
- U&E
- Hb
- LFT
- TFT
- Lipids
- Glucose
If no clear cause for heart failure or murmur, consider echocardiography
Left ventricular systolic dysfunction
Diagnosis in patients with suspected heart failure in primary care:

Major ECG abnormality:
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Major CXR abnormality:
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Detailed protocol: