Table 1

Aetiologies of acute heart failure syndromes

Acute coronary syndrome

  • Coronary artery disease.

  • Coronary dissection.

  • Coronary embolism.

Valvular

  • Acute valvular dysfunction, for example, endocarditis.

  • Rheumatic heart disease.

  • Degenerative heart disease.

Hypertensive

  • HFrEF.

  • HFpEF.

Primary cardiomyopathiesGeneticAcquired

  • Hypertrophic.

  • Arrhythmogenic.

  • LV non-compaction.

  • Mitochondrial myopathies.

  • Ion-channel disorders (eg, long QT, Brugada).

  • Tachycardia-induced.

  • Peripartum.

  • Stress-induced (Takotsubo).

  • Substance abuse (eg, alcohol).

  • Toxin-related (eg, anthracycline).

  • Inflammatory myocarditis.

  • Chagas.

  • HIV.

  • Viral.

  • Giant cell myocarditis.

Secondary cardiomyopathies

  • Amyloidosis.

  • Sarcoidosis.

  • Storage disease (eg, haemochromatosis, Fabry disease).

  • Connective tissue disorder (eg, scleroderma).

  • Initial clinical evaluation should follow an aetiologically directed approach following the CHAMP acronym: acute Coronary syndrome, Hypertension emergency, Arrhythmia, acute Mechanical cause, Pulmonary embolism.

  • HFpEF, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction; HFrEF, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; LV, left ventricle.