End-of-life care in patients with heart failure. 2014

David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: djw150@jefferson.edu.

Stage D heart failure (HF) is associated with poor prognosis, yet little consensus exists on the care of patients with HF approaching the end of life. Treatment options for end-stage HF range from continuation of guideline-directed medical therapy to device interventions and cardiac transplantation. However, patients approaching the end of life may elect to forego therapies or procedures perceived as burdensome, or to deactivate devices that were implanted earlier in the disease course. Although discussing end-of-life issues such as advance directives, palliative care, or hospice can be difficult, such conversations are critical to understanding patient and family expectations and to developing mutually agreed-on goals of care. Because patients with HF are at risk for rapid clinical deterioration or sudden cardiac death, end-of-life issues should be discussed early in the course of management. As patients progress to advanced HF, the need for such discussions increases, especially among patients who have declined, failed, or been deemed to be ineligible for advanced HF therapies. Communication to define goals of care for the individual patient and then to design therapy concordant with these goals is fundamental to patient-centered care. The objectives of this white paper are to highlight key end-of-life considerations in patients with HF, to provide direction for clinicians on strategies for addressing end-of-life issues and providing optimal patient care, and to draw attention to the need for more research focusing on end-of-life care for the HF population.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D010166 Palliative Care Care alleviating symptoms without curing the underlying disease. (Stedman, 25th ed) Palliative Treatment,Palliative Supportive Care,Palliative Surgery,Palliative Therapy,Surgery, Palliative,Therapy, Palliative,Care, Palliative,Palliative Treatments,Supportive Care, Palliative,Treatment, Palliative,Treatments, Palliative
D012042 Registries The systems and processes involved in the establishment, support, management, and operation of registers, e.g., disease registers. Parish Registers,Population Register,Parish Register,Population Registers,Register, Parish,Register, Population,Registers, Parish,Registers, Population,Registry
D005260 Female Females
D006333 Heart Failure A heterogeneous condition in which the heart is unable to pump out sufficient blood to meet the metabolic need of the body. Heart failure can be caused by structural defects, functional abnormalities (VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION), or a sudden overload beyond its capacity. Chronic heart failure is more common than acute heart failure which results from sudden insult to cardiac function, such as MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION. Cardiac Failure,Heart Decompensation,Congestive Heart Failure,Heart Failure, Congestive,Heart Failure, Left-Sided,Heart Failure, Right-Sided,Left-Sided Heart Failure,Myocardial Failure,Right-Sided Heart Failure,Decompensation, Heart,Heart Failure, Left Sided,Heart Failure, Right Sided,Left Sided Heart Failure,Right Sided Heart Failure
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D013727 Terminal Care Medical and nursing care of patients in the terminal stage of an illness. End-Of-Life Care,End of Life Care,Care, End-Of-Life,Care, Terminal,End-Of-Life Cares
D015996 Survival Rate The proportion of survivors in a group, e.g., of patients, studied and followed over a period, or the proportion of persons in a specified group alive at the beginning of a time interval who survive to the end of the interval. It is often studied using life table methods. Cumulative Survival Rate,Mean Survival Time,Cumulative Survival Rates,Mean Survival Times,Rate, Cumulative Survival,Rate, Survival,Rates, Cumulative Survival,Rates, Survival,Survival Rate, Cumulative,Survival Rates,Survival Rates, Cumulative,Survival Time, Mean,Survival Times, Mean,Time, Mean Survival,Times, Mean Survival

Related Publications

David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
March 2020, Current opinion in cardiology,
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
September 2022, Korean circulation journal,
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
August 2000, Clinics in geriatric medicine,
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
August 2014, Nursing standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987),
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
December 2004, Italian heart journal : official journal of the Italian Federation of Cardiology,
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
May 2009, Current cardiology reports,
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
August 2007, Heart (British Cardiac Society),
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
January 2021, Nihon Ronen Igakkai zasshi. Japanese journal of geriatrics,
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
January 2008, The Journal of cardiovascular nursing,
David J Whellan, and Sarah J Goodlin, and Michael G Dickinson, and Paul A Heidenreich, and Connie Jaenicke, and Wendy Gattis Stough, and Michael W Rich, and
April 2008, Critical care nurse,
Copied contents to your clipboard!