Weaving Palliative Care into the Fabric of Heart Failure Management

Over the last decade, novel life-prolonging pharmacotherapies and mechanical circulatory support devices have been approved to combat the burgeoning heart failure (HF) epidemic. In parallel, there has been increasing recognition that the debilitating physical and emotional symptoms that accompany HF can lead to a loss of independence, existential distress, deteriorating quality of life, and caregiver burden. Palliative care is both a clinical subspecialty and a multidisciplinary approach to patient-centered care that focuses on the relief of suffering and the improvement of quality of life in patients facing serious illness and their families.
Source: Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research