[Follow-up of patients with acute and chronic heart failure: risk stratification to diversify the pathway]

Heart failure is a syndrome with a high clinical and healthcare impact. Currently, the incidence in Europe is approximately 5/1000 people/year in the adult population, with a prevalence of 1-2%. The prognosis is burdened by a still high mortality and hospitalization rate. The phase immediately following the hospitalization is defined as the "vulnerable period" because it is characterized by the greatest number of clinical events: 30% risk of rehospitalization and 10% risk of death. Taking care of the patients in this phase is crucial and must be accompanied by a risk stratification process, essential for planning a follow-up that is as personalized as possible, also necessary for resource optimization. In the chronic phase of the disease, risk stratification appears similarly important, as it could represent a support tool in the patient's transition from hospital to the community. The aims of this paper are to review the recommendations for the follow-up of the European and American guidelines, describe the tools available to the clinician to stratify the prognosis and diversify the pathway, and finally hypothesize a follow-up scheme both in the post-acute and chronic phases.