Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: NT-BNP Guided Care in Addition to Multidisciplinary Care in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure A Three-Arm, Prospective, Randomised Study
Brief Summary: HF is associated with repeated hospitalisations and poor prognosis.The aim of this study is to investigate whether BNP-guided care (BGC) in addition to multidisciplinary management(MM) improves outcome compared to HNC alone or usual care (UC) for decompensated HF patients after discharge.

Patients hospitalised with cardiac decompensation in 9 Viennese hospitals are randomised to BGC, MM alone, or UC. MM includes 2 consultations of a heart failure (HF) specialist 10 days and 2 months after discharge for recommending medical optimisation and care by a specialised HF nurse including 4 home visits and telephone contact. In addition, BGC includes intensified increase of medical treatment during repeated follow-up visits in a HF clinic in patients with an Nt-BNP level above 2200pg/ml at discharge.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* ≥40 Years of age
* with risk factors for LVD including:

  * hypertension (medicated for ≥ 1 month)
  * hypercholesterolemia
  * obesity
  * coronary artery disease (confirmed by angiography)
  * diabetes mellitus
  * arrhythmia
  * valvular abnormalities

Exclusion Criteria:

* failure or unwilling to provide informed consent
* known ventricular dysfunction (confirmed by angiography or echocardiography)
* previous documented episode of heart failure
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age \> 21 years of age
* Left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%
* NYHA class II-IV heart failure
* Hospital admission, Emergency Department visit, or outpatient diuretic escalation of therapy for destabilized HF at least once in the 6 months prior to enrollment

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe renal insufficiency defined as serum creatinine \> 2.5 mg/dl
* Inoperable aortic valvular heart disease
* Life expectancy \<1 year due to causes other than HF such as advanced cancer
* Cardiac transplantation or revascularization indicated or expected within 6 months
* Severe obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease, defined as a forced expiratory volume in 1S \<1 L when diagnosed as standard of care.
* Subject unable or unwilling to provide written informed consent
* Coronary revascularization (PCI or CABG) within the previous 3 months
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Admission because of congestive heart failure
* Elevated NT-proBNP levels on admission

Exclusion Criteria:

* Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias
* Urgent intervention
* Severe lung disease
* Presence of life threatening disease
* Signed informed consent for other study
* Mental or physical status not allowing written informed consent.
* Unwillingness to give informed consent
* Patients undergoing haemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)
D: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Clinical signs and symptoms of cardiac decompensation during the present hospitalisation
2. NYHA class III or IV at time of admission
3. Cardiothoracic ratio \> 0.5, and/or left ventricular ejection fraction \<40% documented by echocardiography

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Answer: D