Table 1.
Framingham Heart Study Criteria for Heart Failurea
| Major criteria: |
| • Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea |
| • Neck vein distention |
| • Rales |
| • Radiographic cardiomegaly (increasing heart size on chest radiography) |
| • Acute pulmonary edema |
| • S3 gallop |
| • Increased central venous pressure (>16 cm H2O at right atrium) |
| • Hepatojugular reflux |
| • Weight loss >4.5 kg in 5 days in response to treatment |
| Minor criteria: |
| • Bilateral ankle edema |
| • Nocturnal cough |
| • Dyspnea on ordinary exertion |
| • Hepatomegaly |
| • Pleural effusion |
| • Decrease in vital capacity by one third from maximum recorded |
| • Tachycardia (heart rate>120 beats/min.) |
a
Diagnosis of heart failure requires the simultaneous presence of at least 2 major criteria or 1 major criterion in conjunction with 2 minor criteria