Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of heart failure and cardiogenic shock

Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure and Cardiogeni c Shock have been developed by the Working Group on Heart Failure of the Sp anish Society of Cardiology, in collaboration with other Scientific Section s and members of the society. The aim of this report is to promote a more c onsistent and effective clinical practice according to the principles of ev idence based medicine or the recommendations widely accepted by the scienti fic community. At the same time the aim is to give guidance for epidemiolog ical surveys, heart failure registers clinical assays and clinical quality assessment, and to contribute to cost containment. These twelve guidelines have been designed for doctors in general practice as well as specialists. Criteria for diagnosis and classification of heart failure (sistolic and diastolic heart failure, left or right, acute or chro nic) are defined. The more appropriate use of clinical or high technology l aboratory studies are recommended as well as the most efficient strategies nowadays for the management of chronic stable, unstable or refractory heart failure, or acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock.