What Do We Need to Learn About Heart Failure?
To better care for patients with heart failure, we need to understand better several important issues.
To better care for patients with heart failure, we need to understand better several important issues.
We need to improve communication between health care providers and patients about heart failure. We want to help patients and their families know what to expect, make important decisions about their care with their physicians, and feel as much in control of their medical care as possible.
Also, we need to direct attention in heart failure research toward long-term management issues, not just near-term concerns. Most heart failure research to date has focused almost exclusively on initial treatment of heart failure, reduction in health care costs from heart failure and extension of life. Recent advances in medical therapy have improved survival. Individuals with heart failure experience significant limitations in their activity and function, negatively impacting them and their families. , And over 280,000 individuals die from heart failure in the United States annually. Medical care for heart failure is costly, both in terms of burden to the healthcare system and for individuals and their families.
Research is needed to address management of symptoms or palliative care in advanced heart failure and understand approaches to care for those who die from heart failure. Equally important is a focus on supportive care for patients and their families with chronic advanced heart failure. Supportive care includes a broad range of multidisciplinary interventions including education for the patient and family about the illness and self-management, communication about concerns and preferences for care, symptom management, and holistic care that integrates psychosocial and spiritual support as needed by patients and their families.
Created: December 15, 2003 12:29
Last updated: September 21, 2008 08:24