ABSTRACT
This chapter shows how to identify the physiology, prevalence and symptoms of heart failure, explains the barriers to patient–professional communication in heart failure, and also identifies some strategies to improve communication between healthcare providers and patients. The chapter discusses some challenges of providing informal care to heart failure patients and identifies some positive aspects of caring for patients with heart failure living in community settings. There are three main types of heart failure: left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD), heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) and heart failure caused by diseased or damaged heart valves. Heart failure is a life-limiting condition with a poor prognosis and is associated with debilitating symptoms resulting in poor quality of life. Research in the United Kingdom has explored the attitudes of older people and primary care professionals towards communication of diagnosis, prognosis and symptoms in heart failure.
