Risk Stratification Tools in Acute Heart Failure and Their Roles in Personalized Follow-Up

Heart failure (HF) is a condition with a high clinical and healthcare burden. In Europe, the current incidence is approximately 5 per 1000 persons per year in the adult population, with a prevalence of 1-2%. Prognosis remains poor, with persistently high rates of mortality and hospitalization. The period immediately following hospital discharge is known as the "vulnerable phase," marked by a heightened incidence of clinical events, including a 30% chance of rehospitalization and a 10% mortality risk. Effective patient management during this time is crucial and should incorporate a risk stratification process, which is vital for designing a personalized follow-up plan and ensuring optimal resource utilization. This review aims to outline the available tools for prognostic risk stratification and propose a structured follow-up model applicable at discharge from an HF hospitalization in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction and in patients with mildly reduced/preserved ejection fraction.