What is a heart failure clinic?

This is a part of the cardiology department whose function is to provide structured and coordinated monitoring and treatment of patients with heart failure, both inside and outside the hospital. The team is composed of one or more heart failure cardiologists and heart failure nurses, complemented by other multidisciplinary care providers if needed.

Tasks of the heart failure clinic

The tasks of the heart failure clinic include:

• The follow-up of heart failure patients, particularly heart failure patients with HFrEF and/or high-risk patients, including more difficult-to-treat patients with HFmrEF/HFpEF and/or heart failure with also chronic renal failure (cardiorenal dilemma).
• Optimization and titration of the heart failure medications.
• Indication for implantation of a device (pacemaker, defibrillator (ICD), cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), Mitraclip, etc.). The most optimal device for a specific patient is preferably implanted at the right time.
• Follow-up of these devices with integration of echocardiography and optimization of the settings of these devices (especially in cardiac resynchronization therapy, CRT).
• Remote monitoring of heart failure patients :
  • by telephone.
  • remote monitoring of weight, blood pressure and heart rate.
  • remote monitoring via an implanted device: pacemaker, ICD, CRT, intrapulmonary pressure sensor (CardioMEMS).
• Direct point of contact for the patient, family or caregivers and for primary care providers in case of problems (preferably via the direct telephone number of the heart failure nurse).
• If possible: maintaining a database of patients with heart failure.