Standardised heart failure scoring system

Decompensated heart failure is indicated by a score of 2 or more points from the following clinical scoring system:

• orthopnoea:
  • 0.5 points
    
    
• paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea:
  • 1.0 points
    
    
• reduced exercise tolerance:
  • 0.5 points
    
    
• resting sinus tachycardia (>100/min):
  • 0.5 points
    
    
• jugular venous pressure:
  • 0.5 points
    
    
• hepatojugular reflex positive:
  • 1.0 points
    
    
• third heart sound present:
  • 1.0 points
    
    
• basal crackles:
  • 1.0 points
    
    
• hepatomegaly:
  • 0.5 points
    
    
• peripheral oedema:
  • 0.5 points

Reference:

• 1) Troughton, RW, Frampton, CM. et al. (2000). Treatment of heart failure guided by plasma aminoterminal brain natriuretic peptide (N-BNP) concentrations. Lancet, 355, 1126-30.