BIOmarker Based Diagnostic TOOLkit to Personalize Pharmacological Approaches in Congestive Heart Failure

Inclusion Criteria: In order to have been included to participate in the index trial, a subject must have met all of the following criteria: * age \>=18 years with symptoms of new-onset or worsening heart failure; * objective evidence of cardiac dysfunction documented either by left ventricular ejection fraction \<=40% or plasma concentrations of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) \>400 pg/mL and/or NT-proBNP \>2000 pg/mL; * treatment with either oral or intravenous furosemide \>=40 mg/day or equivalent at the time of inclusion; not previously treated with evidence-based therapies (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers and beta-blockers) or receiving \<=50% of target doses of these drugs at the time of inclusion; anticipated initiation or up-titration of ACE inhibitors or ARBs and/or beta-blockers by the treating physician. For the validation cohort, patients had to fulfil the following inclusion criteria: * age \>=18 years; * diagnosis of heart failure with a previous documented admission requiring diuretic treatment; * treatment with furosemide \>=20 mg/day or equivalent; * not previously treated or receiving \<=50% of target doses of ACE inhibitors or ARBs and/or beta-blockers; * anticipated initiation or up-titration of ACE inhibitors or ARBs and/or beta-blockers. In both trials, patients could be enrolled as inpatients or from outpatient clinics. Exclusion Criteria: A potential subject who meets any of the following criteria will be…