Treatment of Patients in the Vulnerable Phase (at Discharge or Early after Discharge)

The clinical course of heart failure includes a period in which the patient is at increased risk of death or rehospitalisation for HF. This period is termed the “vulnerable phase” and occurs during the peri-acute HF phase, due to microenvironmental changes in the cardiovascular system. Typically, the vulnerability phase starts from the onset of an acute HF event leading to admission, continues through a peri-discharge period and lasts up to 6 months after discharge.These poor post-discharge outcomes also represent a significant socioeconomic burden. This articles reviews treatments that are beneficial in this important phase.