Via practica 1/2020

Management of acute heart failure in pre-hospital health care (case report)

Acute heart failure is defined as a rapid onset of new or worsening signs and symptoms of heart failure requiring immediate medical intervention. This syndrome has a frequent occurrence in the population with severe short-term and long-term prognosis. In developed countries, it is the most common cause for admitting patients over the age of 65 (1). In Slovakia, according to the Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic, up to 50 % of the population dies from failure of cardiovascular system, in 70 % of cases at home. This case report presents a patient, who has been treated 13 times by the ambulance in the past twenty years, 3 times cardiopulmonary resuscitated, 4 times survived myocardial infarction (also he survived anaphylactic shock, cardiogenic shock, haemorrhagic shock) and he was repeatedly cardiac decompensated. This commented report is trying to show an interesting clinical case and the progress of acute heart failure in a patient with polymorbidity, but also to solve the difficult situation in pre-hospital conditions by the EMS crews in relation to hospital treatment. Also, the text includes early pre-hospital management of acute heart failure in pre-hospital care according to the latest recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology.

Keywords: acute heart failure, early pre-hospital management, emergency medical service