Abstract
Heart failure (HF) self-care relates to the decisions made outside clinical settings by the individual with HF to maintain life, healthy functioning, and well-being. The people who help patients most (ie, caregivers/family members) should be involved in care, and general principles of health behavior change should be used to guide support. Medicines should be prescribed with once-daily dosing, with pharmacists providing medication review and support. Pill boxes should be provided and patients’ health literacy levels assessed. Psychosocial interventions for smoking cessation should be undertaken. Regular aerobic exercise may benefit patients with mild to moderate HF and some with severe but stable HF; therefore, referral to cardiac rehabilitation should be considered.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-9 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2009 |
Keywords
- heart failure
- health promotion
- cardiovascular medicine