PURPOSE: To examine the time course, contributing factors, and @entity1 responses to decompensated @entity712 . METHODS: We studied consecutive @entity1 admitted to a public general hospital with a diagnosis of @entity712 . Using a timeline follow-back technique, a nurse interviewer administered a questionnaire shortly after admission, exploring knowledge of a @entity712 diagnosis, the symptoms and time course of decompensation, and @entity1 responses to worsening symptoms. RESULTS: Of 87 @entity1 , 83 (95%) consented to be interviewed. Only 49 (59%) were aware of the diagnosis of @entity712 . Symptoms associated with decompensation included @entity1353 in 81 @entity1 (98%), @entity4 in 64 @entity1 (77%), and @entity1017 in 34 @entity1 (41%). Onset of worsening of these symptoms was noted a mean (+/- SD) of 12.4 +/-1.4 days before admission for @entity4 , 11.3 +/-1.6 days for @entity1017 , and 8.4 +/- 0.9 days for @entity1353 . Forty-two @entity1 (57%) reported missing or skipping medication because of various factors, particularly missed outpatient appointments. CONCLUSION: Using a timeline follow-back interview, we identified a period of days to weeks between the onset of worsening symptoms and hospital admission for @entity712 . This pattern suggests that there is a time window between symptom exacerbation and admission during which earlier access and intervention might prevent hospitalization in these @entity1 . Medication lapses continue to be an important preventable cause of decompensation leading to admission.

XXXX : symptoms, patterns of onset, and contributing factors.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity712 :: ('MESH:D006333', 'Disease') :: ['heart failure decompensation', 'heart failure'] @entity1353 :: ('MESH:D004417', 'Disease') :: ['dyspnea'] @entity4 :: ('MESH:D004487', 'Disease') :: ['edema'] @entity1017 :: ('MESH:D015430', 'Disease') :: ['weight gain']
@entity712 :: (MESH:D006333,Disease) :: ['Decompensated heart failure']
