Heart Failure & Cardiomyopathy

Heart failure occurs when your heart muscle can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. The heart is too weak or stiff to pump or fill with blood efficiently.

Also known as congestive heart failure, heart failure often develops after other conditions, such as coronary artery disease or high blood pressure, have damaged or weakened your heart muscle.

Different types of heart failure

• Chronic heart failure is a long-term condition that develops over time, requiring on-going management and treatment.
• Acute heart failure is an emergency situation requiring immediate care.

Can affect one or both sides of heart

Heart failure may mean your heart fails to pump normally, fails to fill normally, or both. It can affect the left side, right side or both sides of your heart.

Fletcher Allen Provides Excellence in Heart Failure Treatment

When the most important organ in your body stops working properly, you want expert care from a dedicated team of heart specialists who are among the best in their field.

At Fletcher Allen, our internationally known heart failure experts bring new and innovative therapies to patients and families every day. Our highly skilled team offers years of experience in cardiac medicine, and a strong commitment to personalized care that meets your unique needs.

As a university hospital, patients benefit from a collaborative, coordinated approach to heart care, backed by research-based expertise.

One of the highlights of this collaboration is our participation in the National Institutes of Health Heart Failure Research Network. We are proud to be one of nine sites selected nationally to participate in the network, giving our patients the opportunity to receive cutting-edge treatments free of charge.

All this means the best possible care for the most vital organ in your body — and the best chance for a happier, healthier life.

Fletcher Allen has a team of experts in heart failure that use the latest research-based treatments for the care of patients and their families. 

Our program includes the following services:

• Comprehensive disease management that includes:
  
  • Team of experts guiding your care
  • Close and regular telephone and clinic monitoring
  • Education to advance self care skills
  • Resource center for referring provide

• Expert medicine management
• Inpatient consult service
• Evaluation for advanced therapies such as:
  
  • Cardiac resynchronization therapy
  • Implantable cardioverter defibrillators
  • Cardiac transplantation
  • Mechanical ventricular assist devices
  • Advanced care planning
• Opportunity to participate in a wide range of clinical research activities
• Monthly support and education classes
• Cardiac rehabilitation for patients living with heart failure

The clinic staff will focus on the following patient centered goals:

• To prevent or delay the advancement of disease and thus improve wellbeing and survival
• To optimize medical management
• To evaluate for reversible causes of heart failure
• To avoid hospitalization and reduce length of stay in those admitted
• To educate the patient and their family about the disease and its management
• To assist the patient to maintain/improve the quality of life, functional health and to promote self care
• To evaluate patients for advanced therapies if needed
• To reduce the cost of treatment
• To assist the patient and family with end of life issues

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