Table 4.

Heart failure—clinical outcomes and their definitions

Heart failure: Level 1 variables
All-cause re-hospitalisation	Unscheduled hospitalisation for any cause, defined as a being admitted for more than 24 h or past a calendar day.6,53
Heart failure re-hospitalisation	Hospital admission primarily related to heart failure. Heart failure is a clinical syndrome characterized by typical symptoms (e.g. dyspnoea) and/or signs (e.g. ankle swelling), caused by a structural and/or functional cardiac abnormality (e.g. left ventricular hypertrophy or impairment), and associated with elevated natriuretic peptide levels and/or objective evidence of pulmonary or systemic congestion from a cardiogenic origin at rest or with exercise. Unplanned HF hospitalisation is defined as a patient requiring an unscheduled hospital admission for a primary diagnosis of HF with a length of stay that either exceeds 24 h or crosses a calendar day (if hospital admission and discharge times are unavailable). To satisfy the criteria for a HF hospitalisation, the patient must be admitted primarily for HF with signs, symptoms, and diagnostic testing results identical to those already described above. The patient must also require treatment for HF such as significant augmentation of oral diuretics, intravenous diuretics, or mechanical or surgical intervention for HF.6,49,53,63
Heart transplantation	Receipt of surgery in which a failing, diseased heart is replaced with a healthier donor heart.57
Left ventricular assist device	Implant of a left ventricular assist device.
Left ventricular ejection fraction	Ejection fraction, ideally measured with echocardiography.
Heart failure domain: Level 2 variables
Device implantation	Implantation of: Transvenous permanent pacemaker is an electronic device that is implanted in the subcutaneous tissue and gives the heart an electrical stimulation through transvenous wires. Leadless pacemaker is an electronic device that is implanted directly into the right ventricle. Transvenous ICD is a device that is used to correct abnormal heartbeat through transvenous wires. Subcutaneous ICD is an ICD with a presternal lead and is positioned between the latissimus dorsi and serratus muscle within the subcutaneous tissue. Extravascular ICD is an ICD with a substernal lead and the device in the subcutaneous tissue of the lateral thorax. CRT device and pacemaker (CRT-P) is defined as a biventricular pacemaker that sends electrical stimulation to both ventricles. CRT-D is a biventricular pacemaker and defibrillator.55,56
Resuscitated ventricular tachyarrhythmia	The patient was successfully resuscitated and had ROSC from a ventricular tachyarrhythmia.

Abbreviations: CRT, cardiac resynchronisation therapy; HF, heart failure; ICD, implantable cardioverter defibrillator; NYHA, New York Heart Association; ROSC, return of spontaneous circulation.