Can monitoring of intrathoracic impedance reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure? Rationale and design of the Diagnostic Outcome Trial in Heart Failure (DOT-HF)

Background: Chronic heart failure is associated with frequent hospitalisations which are often due to volume-overload decompensation. Monitoring of intrathoracic impedance, measured from an implanted device, can detect increases in pulmonary fluid retention early and faci