Cor Vasa 2011, 53(1-2):44-47

Role of the specialist outpatient unit in the care of patients with advanced heart failure

Markéta Hegarová^1,*, Zora Dorazilová¹, Lenka Hošková¹, Miloš Kubánek¹, Mariana Podzimková¹, Ivan Netuka², Ivan Málek¹

¹ Klinika kardiologie

² Klinika kardiovaskulární chirurgie, Institut klinické a experimentální medicíny, Praha, Česká republika

The incidence of chronic heart failure (CHF) in the general population is on the rise. Current pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy procedures are able to reverse the grim prognosis of CHF patients to an extent. A precondition sine qua non is well-organized care making proper use of therapeutic algorithms based on the cause and stage of the disease. Our paper presents the system of care of CHF patients in a specialist outpatient unit of the Heart Center of the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine. The outpatient unit is linked to wards and has access to all diagnostic and therapeutic modalities available at the Heart Center. While used primarily for patients with very advanced HF considered for heart transplantation, this type of care may serve as a model of care of CHF patients in general.

Keywords: Heart failure; Cardiac resynchronization therapy; Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator; Mechanical cardiac support; Heart transplantation

Published: January 1, 2011  Show citation