What Is An Angiogram
An angiogram is a complex procedure that allows a cardiologist to guide a thin plastic tube called a catheter into the arteries of the heart muscle to determine if there is any narrowing or blockage.
Individuals wishing more information on angiograms can read the Cardiac Catheterization patient information booklet.
I Understand That I Will Not Be Able To Eat Certain Foods Anymore But How Should I Change My Diet
Our nutritionists will provide information on a diet when you come into the program. Below are areas you can focus on now. If this is too overwhelming, choose one that is important to you.
- Increase your fibre intake: Eat more wholegrain bread, cereals, pasta, and rice, and eat seven servings of fruit and vegetables per day.
- Increase your healthy fat intake: Eat unsaturated fats found in a handful of unsalted nuts, canola, or extra virgin olive oil. Eat two to three servings of fish per week.
- Cut your saturated fat intake: Choose low-fat dairy products and lean meats. Eliminate trans fat in your diet.
- Limit your salt intake: Consume one teaspoon or less per day. Limit most processed foods and the use of condiments such as ketchup and soy sauce, which have added salt. Avoid adding salt to food altogether.
- Read all food labels: Read the nutrition facts labels on food. Pay attention to sodium and fat content.
- Watch your portion size: If you need to lose weight, reduce your portions, learn about appropriate serving sizes, use a smaller plate, and avoid taking seconds.
The Heart & Vascular Institute’s Congestive Heart Disease Center Enables Patients Who Have Been Diagnosed With Congestive Heart Disease To Manage Their Health And Improve The Quality Of Their Lives Through Early Symptom Recognition Continuity Of Care Diet Planning And Medication Management
One-on-one clinic visits or group educational programs are available where symptoms of heart failure, medications, diet and fluid restrictions are reviewed in detail with patients and their families. Routine follow-up telephone calls are made in order to assess progress and to help answer any questions patients may have. Personalized nutritional consultation with a registered dietician is also available to design a balanced program that meets the individual needs of each patient.The Congestive Heart Disease Center at Hartford Hospital is among the few centers in the area to offer a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, with nursing staff and physicians working as an integrated team, strictly focusing on disease management.
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How Is Heart Failure Treated
Your treatment will depend on the type of heart failure you have and, in part, what caused it. Medications and lifestyle behaviors are part of every treatment plan. Your healthcare provider will talk to you about the best treatment plan for you. Treatment is the same, regardless of gender.
As heart failure gets worse, your heart muscle pumps less blood to your organs, and you move toward the next stage of heart failure. Since you cant move backward through the heart failure stages, the goal of treatment is to keep you from moving forward through the stages or to slow down the progression of your heart failure.
Stage A treatment
The usual treatment plan for people with Stage A heart failure includes:
- Regular exercise, being active, walking every day.
- Stopping the use of tobacco products.
- Treatment for high blood pressure .
- Treatment for high cholesterol.
- Not drinking alcohol or using recreational drugs.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker if you have coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or other vascular or cardiac conditions.
- Beta-blocker if you have high blood pressure.
Stage B treatment
The usual treatment plan for people with Stage B heart failure includes:
Stage C treatment
The usual treatment plan for people with Stage C HF-rEF includes:
If the treatment causes your symptoms to get better or stop, you still need to continue treatment to slow the progression to Stage D.
Stage D treatment
Congestive Heart Failure Clinic
Congestive heart failure is a serious chronic health condition that affects an estimated 6.2 million people in the U.S. CHF can result from several conditions that affect your hearts ability to fill properly and pump blood through your body.
Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can slow down the disease progression and help you live a longer, healthier life. The Congestive Heart Failure Clinic at Advocate Heart Institute is one of the most comprehensive programs in the nation.
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Understanding Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive Heart Failure is a condition in which the hearts function as a pump is inadequate to deliver oxygen rich blood to the body. Congestive heart failure can be caused by:
- Diseases that weaken the heart muscle
- Diseases that cause stiffening of the heart muscles
- Diseases that increase oxygen demand by the body tissue beyond the capability of the heart to deliver adequate oxygen-rich blood
Regional Differences In Access To Hf Clinics
The boundaries of each LHIN were used to assess any geographic inequalities in access to HF clinics. We first determined the population size overall and of persons greater than the age of 65 years in each LHIN. The number of prevalent HF cases in each LHIN is not known. To approximate the burden of HF per LHIN, we used previously published data on the number of hospital discharges per LHIN with a most responsible diagnosis of HF in the fiscal years 19972001 . We then determined the annual rate of HF hospital discharges per HF clinic in each LHIN as another estimate of the regional distribution of access to care.
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Diagnosing Congestive Heart Failure
UT Southwestern cardiologists can often make a preliminary diagnosis of heart failure by taking a detailed medical history and conducting a careful physical examination. Blood and urine tests can reveal problems with the liver and kidneys, measure lipids and thyroid function, and detect signs of diabetes.
Additional tests most noninvasive used to diagnose congestive heart failure might include:
- Electrocardiogram : To look for underlying heart problems such as heart enlargement, abnormal cardiac rhythms, and coronary artery disease
- Echocardiography : To evaluate heart valve function, pumping capacity, and structural changes
- Cardiac MRI: To evaluate the hearts structure and function and look for scarring
- CT imaging: To see detailed, cross-sectional views of the heart and cardiac arteries
- Chest X-ray: To evaluate the structure of the heart and lungs
- Cardiopulmonary stress test: To measure the hearts aerobic capacity
- Cardiac catheterization/angiography: To look for blockages in the coronary arteries
Congestive Heart Failure Treatment
The treatment of heart failure can be viewed as a continuum. In general, early treatment focuses on lifestyle changes and optimization of basic medical therapies. The next steps in treatment might include more aggressive medical therapies or the installation of a device such as a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator .
For the small percentage of patients for whom heart failure continues to progress despite less aggressive treatments, our team of experts offers the most advanced surgical solutions, such as left ventricular assist devices and heart transplantation.
UT Southwestern offers heart failure treatments that include:
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How Is Heart Disease Different Than A Heart Attack
A heart attack is a blockage in one of the arteries that feed your heart muscle with blood rich in oxygen. Over time or due to risk factors, these arteries become narrow and finally block. This means the part of the heart muscle not receiving oxygenated blood may risk permanent damage or loss of pumping action.
If you suspect you are having symptoms of a heart attack, CALL 911. Do not drive yourself to the hospital.
How Will Attending A Heart Failure Clinic Help You
The heart failure clinic will help educate you on your condition and improvements that you can gain through self-management around diet, exercise and medication. The clinic will also allow you to receive more convenient follow-up care and it may encourage you to set and meet small goals in changing your lifestyle. These programmes may also provide the contact details of a person that would be available to discuss what you should do if your symptoms get worse. You may also learn about any clinical trials for new therapies, and perhaps take part in them.
Talk to your GP who will be able to give you information on your nearest heart failure clinic and whether its appropriate for you.
For more information on services available in your country, click on one of the links below:
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Study Setting Data Source And Study Design
A hospital-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted among congestive heart failure patients under the outpatients clinic from January 2016 to December 2019 at Felege Hiwot comprehensive specialized referral hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. This hospital provides an organized CHF follow-up care program with mostly regional and national full-sized laboratory equipment.
Study Design And Patient Recruitment
As described in detail previously , ICONS was conceived as a large prospective cohort study exploring the effectiveness of a disease management approach in patients with HF, acute coronary syndrome or atrial fibrillation. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Review Board of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre and other participating institutions across the province. In April 2002, the study concluded but the responsibility for ongoing data collection was assumed by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and continues for patients hospitalized with HF or acute coronary syndrome.
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Your Care After You Leave The Hospital Is An Important Part Of The Road To Being Well Once More Following Heart Surgery Or Procedures
Below are some health aids to help with your recovery by building healthy lifestyle choices and habits.
Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation ProgramThe Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Clinic offers personalized exercise programs to assist individuals with cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and those who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease.
Southlake follows the Cardiac Care Network of Ontario Standards for the Provision of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation
The Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Program is located at the Magna Centre:800 Mulock Dr, Newmarket, ON L3Y 9C1T: 905-953-5303
24-Hour Blood Pressure MonitoringA 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor provides valuable information for patients every half-hour during the day and every hour overnight.
This test is not covered by OHIP cost: is $50. For more information and hours of operation call 905-895-4521, ext. 2801 or click here.
Note: This service is located in Cardiac Diagnostics, East Building, level 2.
To download a copy of an activity diary: Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
General cardiology including coronary angiography, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography and inpatient/outpatient care.
953-7917
Medical Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention
699-9800
Coronary angiography, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography and inpatient/outpatient care
898-7924
Medical Director, Interventional Cardiology Program
953-7917
953-7917
- T905-895-4521, ext. 2665
What You Need To Know
- We examine your medical condition, assess your needs and develop a plan to help you feel better. Your plan may include medication and lifestyle and dietary changes.
- Your team includes a cardiologist, nurse practitioner, and pharmacist. Your team meets with you at your first appointment.
- The pharmacist will work with the clinic providers to evaluate and optimize your medications for heart failure, as well as discuss how they work, why you are taking them, and any side effects you may experience. Additionally, the pharmacist will work with you to help support your finding affordable medications.
- You’re welcome to bring along a family member or caregiver.
- Read more about how to ensure your medical care wishes are followed through learning more about advanced care planning.
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Congestive Heart Failure In Young People
My daughter, Heather, passed from Congestive Heart Failure at the age of 25. This was a total shock as she was very healthy and no examinations have ever revealed this possibility. She did have a kidney infection in Dec 2015 and went for diagnosis twice when she had the symptoms. Both times the doctors just passed it off as anxiety. She died in Feb 2015 at Tampa General. The surgeon tried to install VADs on both sides of her heart. When he came to us in the waiting room he said he never saw anything like the scars inside her heart.
I would like to know if anyone else has a story like this. We can only surmize that Heather must have had a dormant virus that was activated by something she took or was exposed to. I wished now we would have had an autopsy done but there may still be no way of finding out how she contracted this evil in her heart.
Risk Factors For Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure has a number of risk factors, such as:
- Shortness of breath upon exertion or when lying down
Patients diagnosed with heart failure who have been hospitalized at least twice in the past year should consider asking their doctors for a referral to UT Southwesterns advanced heart failure specialists for an evaluation.
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Congestive Heart Failure Treatments And Care
Cardiovascular disease, such as narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation , a leaky heart valve, cancer treatments, and inherited conditions can cause congestive heart failure. We’re here to help. We start by listening to understand you and your health concerns. Then, we work with you to create a care plan that’s right for you.
Our multispecialty cardiology care teams deliver advanced heart failure care, including:
- Focused congestive heart failure clinics
- Medication management
- Prescribed exercise plan and low-sodium diet
- Diagnostic testing and imaging for congestive heart failure
- Coordination with your care teams and doctors
What To Expect When You Arrive
After a hospitalization: Most patients discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of heart failure will have a follow-up appointment scheduled before they leave the hospital. Patients who do not have a scheduled follow-up appointment are more likely to be back in the hospital within a few short weeks of their original discharge.
Long-term care: Patients experiencing heart failure symptoms can be seen within 24 to 72 hours in the clinic and may be given intravenous medications to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations.
A typical clinic visit includes:
- A review of your medical history and a physical examination with a heart failure specialized nurse practitioner
- If necessary, an adjustment of cardiac medications
- Blood work to check function kidneys and electrolyte levels
- Personalized education about the signs and symptoms of heart failure, self-care, diet and fluid management techniques
- Connecting with clinic resources including our heart failure trained nurses, pharmacist and community health worker
- Collaboration with your doctors and connecting you to a cardiologist
- Close follow up with the clinic
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Rehab: What Activities Can I Safely Participate In Before Starting The Cardiac Rehab Program
If you have had cardiac surgery, follow the guidelines in your surgery discharge package. Start out with walking short distances several times per day. Then gradually increase the amount of time you are walking to 30 consecutive minutes. Follow the talk test rule: You should be able to talk while you walk without feeling out of breath.
If you feel symptoms such as chest pain or chest discomfort or shortness of breath, slow down and stop.
Do not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds .
Congestive Heart Failure: Prevention Treatment And Research
Congestive heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart doesnt pump blood as efficiently as it should. Despite its name, heart failure doesnt mean that the heart has literally failed or is about to stop working. Rather, it means that the heart muscle has become less able to contract over time or has a mechanical problem that limits its ability to fill with blood. As a result, it cant keep up with the bodys demand, and blood returns to the heart faster than it can be pumped outit becomes congested, or backed up. This pumping problem means that not enough oxygen-rich blood can get to the bodys other organs.
The body tries to compensate in different ways. The heart beats faster to take less time for refilling after it contractsbut over the long run, less blood circulates, and the extra effort can cause heart palpitations. The heart also enlarges a bit to make room for the blood. The lungs fill with fluid, causing shortness of breath. The kidneys, when they dont receive enough blood, begin to retain water and sodium, which can lead to kidney failure. With or without treatment, heart failure is often and typically progressive, meaning it gradually gets worse.
More than 5 million people in the United States have congestive heart failure. Its the most common diagnosis in hospitalized patients over age 65. One in nine deaths has heart failure as a contributing cause.
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Study Participants Sampling Technique And Sample Size
The study population was comprised of CHF patients receiving CHF treatment at the Felege Hiwot comprehensive specialized referral hospital. A simple random sampling method was adopted for selecting a representative sample from the list of medical charts that contained the list of CHF patients identification numbers, and patients were selected randomly using their unique identification numbers. The study excluded those patients who were complicated before the study period. The appropriate sample size was determined by the following formula as:
Where HR: hazard rate, h0: the baseline hazard function that characterizes how the hazard function changes as a function of survival time h: The hazard function at time t with covariates x = and a column vector of regression parameters = and t = the complication time, where all values of the covariates are zero, i.e.r = 1.