Killip Class Calculator

About this calculator

The Killip classification, introduced by Killip and Kimball in 1967, is a bedside four-level scale that stratifies the severity of heart failure in a patient following an acute myocardial infarction, based purely on physical exam findings — no imaging or labs required. Class I means no signs of heart failure; Class II adds mild rales or an S3 gallop; Class III means overt pulmonary edema; and Class IV is cardiogenic shock, with in-hospital mortality historically rising steeply from roughly 6% in Class I to over 50% in Class IV.

Emergency physicians and cardiologists use the Killip class at the bedside, within minutes of a patient's arrival, to triage risk and guide the intensity of monitoring and treatment before more detailed risk scores (like GRACE or TIMI) can be calculated from labs and imaging.