The Living Guidelines: End-of-life Considerations. Polling Results for CLASS I Guidelines

Any recommendations found on these pages are for education use only. WikiDoc is not a substitute for a licensed healthcare provider. Please see the disclaimers page for important information regarding limitations of the information found here. In suggesting edits to the guidelines, WikiDoc suggests that the following classification scheme be used. Read more about the classification scheme used by the ACC / AHA Guidelines Committee here.

Class I Guidelines
1. Ongoing patient and family education regarding prognosis for functional capacity and survival is recommended for patients with HF at the end of life. (Level of Evidence: C)

 ACC / AHA Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure: Class I Recommendation 1 for end-of-life considerations should be: CLASS I CLASS IIa CLASS IIb CLASS III 2. Patient and family education about options for formulating and implementing advance directives and the role of palliative and hospice care services with reevaluation for changing clinical status is recommended for patients with HF at the end of life. (Level of Evidence: C)

 ACC / AHA Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure: Class I Recommendation 2 for end-of-life considerations should be: CLASS I CLASS IIa CLASS IIb CLASS III 3. Discussion is recommended regarding the option of inactivating ICDs for patients with HF at the end of life. (Level of Evidence: C)

 ACC / AHA Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure: Class I Recommendation 3 for end-of-life considerations should be: CLASS I CLASS IIa CLASS IIb CLASS III 4. It is important to ensure continuity of medical care between inpatient and outpatient settings for patients with HF at the end of life. (Level of Evidence: C)

 ACC / AHA Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure: Class I Recommendation 4 for end-of-life considerations should be: CLASS I CLASS IIa CLASS IIb CLASS III 5. Components of hospice care that are appropriate to the relief of suffering, including opiates, are recommended and do not preclude the options for use of inotropes and intravenous diuretics for symptom palliation for patients with HF at the end of life. (Level of Evidence: C)

 ACC / AHA Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure: Class I Recommendation 5 for end-of-life considerations should be: CLASS I CLASS IIa CLASS IIb CLASS III 6. All professionals working with HF patients should examine current end-of-life processes and work toward improvement in approaches to palliation and end-of-life care. (Level of Evidence: C)

 ACC / AHA Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure: Class I Recommendation 6 for end-of-life considerations should be: CLASS I CLASS IIa CLASS IIb CLASS III