Health-related quality-of-life tools in heart failure.

Heart failure is one of the most debilitating chronic conditions that is likely to make ever-increasing demands on doctors' time over the next 10 years. Both the incidence and prevalence of the disease are predicted to rise substantially, defying the general downward trend reported in other cardiovascular disorders. Although momentous advances have been achieved in controlling the disease, patient-reported outcomes including health-related quality of life require more attention in patient-centered healthcare and clinical trials. There are many studies that use generic and condition-specific tools in heart failure patients. This special report provides a concise digest of condition-specific health-related quality-of-life tools in heart failure from a clinical perspective.