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Palliative Care in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure
Keisuke Kida1, Shunichi Doi2, Norio Suzuki3
1Department of Pharmacology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao Miyamae, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 216-8511, Japan.
Heart Failure Clinics
|March 8, 2020
Summary
Palliative care is recommended for heart failure (HF) but timing referral is challenging. Early and continuous multidisciplinary support is crucial for managing HF symptoms and improving patient and family quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Palliative Care Medicine
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) guidelines recommend palliative care.
- Determining the optimal timing for palliative care referral in HF patients remains a clinical challenge.
- HF management requires continuous treatment to alleviate symptoms like fluid retention and low cardiac output.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the importance of palliative care in heart failure management.
- To emphasize the need for timely palliative care referral.
- To underscore the role of multidisciplinary support in improving quality of life for HF patients and their families.
Main Methods:
- This study is a review of current guidelines and clinical practice regarding palliative care in heart failure.
- Analysis of symptom burden in advanced heart failure.
- Discussion of multidisciplinary team's role.
Main Results:
- Palliative care is integral to heart failure management.
- Symptom management in advanced HF requires continuous attention.
- Multidisciplinary support significantly enhances patient and family quality of life.
Conclusions:
- Palliative care should be integrated early in the management of heart failure.
- Continuous symptom management and multidisciplinary support are vital for improving quality of life in heart failure patients.
- Addressing total pain and supporting families are key components of advanced heart failure care.
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