Follow-up care
If your heart failure has been determined to be stable, you should be
visiting the heart failure clinic every three to six months, or you
may be asked to see your family doctor. Your doctor or nurse will tell
you how often you should visit the clinic. During these visits certain
procedures will be done, including:
- Doing blood tests
- Checking your medications
- Reviewing your diet
- Discussing your exercise routines
If your heart failure has been determined to be unstable, you should be visiting the heart failure clinic daily or weekly. Your doctor or nurse will tell you how often is appropriate. During these visits certain procedures will be done, including:
- Assessing your physical state
- Discussing how well you’re following your medication schedule
- Adjusting your medications, if necessary
- Doing lab tests, if required
- Reviewing your diet
- Discussing what exercise/activity you can do
The clinic’s main aim in seeing you frequently during this time is to ensure you don’t have to be admitted to hospital, and to help you function better at home.
Your clinic's 'telemanagement' program
Telemanagement means that should you need to call your clinic with any questions or concerns, feel free to do so at any time. A clinic nurse will be available to assist you.
Your clinic’s telephone support hotline number is: ____________________
Should you need to call after hours, the pager number is: ________________
Your clinic support group
Your HF clinic has started a support group to help you meet other patients and to learn more about your disease from health care experts.
The next support group meeting will be held: _______________________
The speaker will be: ______________________________________
She/he will be speaking about: ________________________________
We look forward to seeing you there!
Tips for coping
Controlling the anxiety you may be feeling after being diagnosed with CHF is very
important to your overall well-being. There are many ways to control
anxiety. Here are some suggestions:
- Write a list of your worries or causes of anxiety. Sometimes just putting pen to paper will help ease your concerns and put things in perspective.
- Try to think of solutions in keeping with the requirements and
restrictions of your illness. For example:
- Surround yourself with positive people
- Learn relaxation techniques – such as deep breathing or meditation
- Talk about your frustrations with those you love and trust
- Consult a resource person – your clinic nurse, social worker or counsellor
- Know and accept your limitations: learn to say no without feeling guilty
- Indulge yourself without feeling guilty. Fulfil a desire in keeping with your lifestyle and pocketbook – for example, go to the theatre, take a holiday, buy an item of clothing or object you’ve been craving
Resources – Booklets
Managing Congestive Heart Failure* (free)
Published by: The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Ontario Chapter
477 Mount Pleasant Road, 4th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M4S 2L9
Living with congestive heart failure: (free)
a guide for people taking Coreg™*
Edited by Peter Liu, MD and Shanas Mohamed, RN
Published by: SmithKline Beecham Pharma
Phone: 1 800 567-1550
SmithKline Beecham Pharma
Medical Information Department
2030 Bristol Circle Place
Oakville, Ontario L6H 5V2
A stronger pump: A guide for people with heart failure (cost:
U.S. $6.50 per copy)
Published by: Pritchett & Hull Associates
Phone: 1 800 241-4925
Pritchett & Hull Associates
3440 Oakcliffe Road, Suite 110
Atlanta, Georgia 30340-3079
Dietary fats and your heart: action plan for a healthy heart*
(free)
Published by: The Becel Heart Health Information Bureau
Phone: 1 800 563-5574
Becel Heart Information Bureau
160 Bloor Street, Suite 1500
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R2
An owner’s manual for patients with congestive heart failure
(cost: $2.00 per copy)
Contact: Rosa Gutierrez, RN MScN
Walter McKenzie Centre
2C2 Cardiology
8440 – 112 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2B7
Phone: 403 492-8157
Fax: 403 492-6452
* available in English and French