Heart Health
What is palliative care for heart failure?
It involves specialized clinicians who provide additional care and support for patients and families in collaboration with a cardiologist.
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Thanks to medical advances in recent decades, people with heart disease now live much longer than in the past. As more people survive heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems, the number of people living with heart failure — when the heart struggles to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs — continues to rise. By 2030, nearly one in 12 people ages 65 to 70 will have heart failure, according to one estimate.
In 2022, leading cardiology organizations published guidelines for managing heart failure. The guidelines include an expanded range of medications that help reduce the need for hospitalization and may also prolong life. They also recommend palliative care for all people with heart failure. Yet only a small percentage receive this type of care.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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