The Calculator panel computes the APACHE points depending on availability (for a complete assessment, make sure to fill in all fields).
Chronic Health Points: If the patient has a history of severe organ system insufficiency or is immunocompromised as defined below, assign points as follows:
5 points for nonoperative or emergency postoperative patients
2 points for elective postoperative patients
Definitions: organ insufficiency or immunocompromised state must have been evident prior to this hospital admission and conform to the following criteria:
Liver biopsy proven cirrhosis and documented portal hypertension; episodes of past upper GI bleeding attributed to portal hypertension; or prior episodes of hepatic failure/encephalopathy/coma.
Cardiovascular: New York Heart Association Class IV.
Respiratory: Chronic restrictive, obstructive, or vascular disease resulting in severe exercise restriction (i.e., unable to climb stairs or perform household duties; or documented chronic hypoxia, hypercapnia, secondary polycythemia, severe pulmonary hypertension (>40 mmHg), or respirator dependency.
Renal: receiving chronic dialysis.
Immunocompromised: the patient has received therapy that suppresses resistance to infection (e.g., immunosuppression, chemotherapy, radiation, long term or recent high dose steroids, or has a disease that is sufficiently advanced to suppress resistance to infection, e.g., leukemia, lymphoma, AIDS).