What is a heart failure clinic/management programme?You may be lucky enough to live near a heart failure clinic which can work with you to improve your quality of life by helping you manage your symptoms of heart failure. Staff at the heart failure clinic will help put together your own personalized heart failure management programme that will encourage you to be an active partner in your care to improve your symptoms. These programmes usually represent a co-operation between nurses and physicians and involve other specialties as required.
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 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 worsen. You may also learn about any clinical trials of 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 it is appropriate for you.
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