End-of-life care

This chapter has identified important considerations for end-of-life care for patients with CHF. End-stage disease is associated with significant physical, psychological and existential distress manifested by a decreased quality of life, poor functional status and increasing dependence and hospitalizations. To date, there are limited data to guide care in people with end-stage heart disease. This absence of evidence is no excuse to not provide quality care to patients and their families but should also be a catalyst for research and investigation for novel therapies to decrease unacceptably high levels of symptom burden. It is also important for cardiovascular clinicians to reach out to our palliative care colleagues who have substantial expertise in symptom management and end-of-life care and develop collaborative, integrated and consultative models of care.