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== Classification  ==
 
== Classification  ==
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=== New York Heart Association Classification  ===
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=== Modified New York Heart Association Classification  ===
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Classification of congestive heart failure used in human medicine.  
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Classification of congestive heart failure modified from human medicine. This is problematic, as cardiac debilitation is not the only factor governing exercise tolerance. This is particularly difficult to apply to cats, which tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Furthermore, a normal level of activity is clearly defined for humans (e.g. ability to walk a certain distance), but in veterinary medicine this may be influenced by the breed and lifestyle of the dog.
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*Class 1: No clinical signs but evidence of heart disease
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*Class I: Heart disease with no clinical signs
*Class 2: Exercise intolerance or dyspnoea
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*Class II: Exercise intolerance  
*Class 3: Marked exercise intolerance  
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*Class III: Marked exercise intolerance and dyspnoea
*Class 4: Cannot exercise, dyspnoea at rest
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*Class IV: Cannot exercise, dyspnoea at rest
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===American Heart Association (AHA and American College of Cardiology (ACC)===
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* Stage A: Predisposition for developing cardiac disease
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* Stage B: Structural heart disease, no clinical signs
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* Stage C: Structural heart disease, current or prior clinical signs
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* Stage D: Refractory heart failure
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===International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council (ISACHC)===
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The only veterinary-specific clinical classification.
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* Class Ia: Structural heart disease, no radiographic or echocardiographic evidence of cardiac enlargement
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* Class Ib: Structural heart disease,radiographic or echocardiographic evidence of cardiac enlargement
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* Class II: Mild clinical signs
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* Class IIIa: Overt clinical signs, death or severe debilitation likely without immediate therapy but homecare possible
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* Class IIIb: Overt clinical signs, death or severe debilitation likely and hospitalisation required
     
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