Acute Heart Failure: Alternatives to Hospitalization.

Acute heart failure (HF) is a major public health problem with substantial associated economic costs. Because most patients who present to hospitals are admitted irrespective of their level of risk, novel approaches to manage acute HF are needed, such as the use of same-day access clinics for outpatient diuresis and observation units from the emergency department. Current published data lacks a comprehensive overview of the present state of acute HF management in various clinical settings. This review summarizes the strengths and limitations of acute HF care in the outpatient and emergency department settings. Finally, a variety of innovative technologies that have the potential to improve acute HF management are discussed.