Journal Mobile

Author(s): 
C Ward
Journal Issue: 
Volume 39: Issue 3: 2009

Format

Abstract

 

A strategy for managing heart failure based exclusively on conventional treatment results in the majority of patients having inadequate symptom control, a poor quality of life and uncoordinated care. The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care  report Living  and  dying  with  advanced  heart  failure:  a  palliative  care  approach advocates  that  these  problems  should  be  addressed  by  the  integration  of conventional and supportive care; at present this rarely happens. The report’s main recommendations  are  summarised  and  their  relevance  to  the  natural  history  of heart  failure  discussed  for  the  benefit  of  the  general  and  care  of  the  elderly physicians who are responsible for the in-hospital management of more than 80% of  heart  failure  patients. The  recommendations  are  equally  relevant  to  primary care teams. The problems to be addressed when devising a strategy to implement the recommendations are outlined.

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