Lay summary
Heart failure is a common condition and a major cause for hospitalisation in adults. One in four patients hospitalised with HF will be readmitted within 30 days of discharge. These very high readmission rates are a global problem for which no effective strategy has yet been found. The IMPERATIVE-HF study is testing a new strategy to reduce heart failure readmission.. We are using blood levels of the heart hormone NT-proBNP to guide the management of heart failure from the time of hospital discharge and testing whether this reduces readmission and improves survival in the first 3 months after discharge compared to usual care guided by clinical assessment alone. If successful, the study findings can be immediately applied to clinical care and incorporated into international guidelines for heart failure management.