Heart Failure is a serious health condition affecting nearly 5 million Americans.
The Congestive Heart Failure program at St. Francis Hospital offers comprehensive
and personalized care designed to meet the needs of patients’ living with this
condition. We provide state of the art disease management interventions to reduce
the frequency and duration of hospital visits and offer a thorough approach
to diagnosis of all stages of heart failure. We give all-inclusive care to a high-risk population, and over the years, our program has
been recognized for its high survival rates.
Our team includes a skilled and dedicated group of cardiologists, registered
nurses, dieticians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and ancillary staff. We
provide access to cutting-edge clinical trials and maintain direct communication
and integration of management plans with our patients’ primary care providers.
Our patients can expect follow-up office visits, telephone monitoring, access
to a cardiologist who is trained in the latest advances in the treatment of
heart failure, including both medical and surgical interventions; participation
in medication trials not yet available to the general public; and educational
programs on medication, diet and exercise.
We pride ourselves on giving warm, personable, and compassionate care to our
patients.
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Conditions Treated
- Congestive heart failure
- Cardiomyopathy
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Angina
- Advanced coronary artery disease
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Key Department Treatments
Intravenous Therapy
The heart failure department uses different medications to treat various signs
and symptoms of the disease. The medications are given in an outpatient setting
anywhere from one hour to four hours, to help patients feel better and help
to keep them out of the hospital.
External Enhanced Counterpulsation (EECP)
EECP therapy works by increasing blood and oxygen supply to the heart and decreasing
the amount of work the heart has to do to pump blood to the rest of the body.
It is not invasive, does not require a hospital stay, has no recovery period
and allows you to return to your routine each day after receiving treatment.
EECP therapy requires 35, 1 hour visits over the course of 7 consecutive weeks.
Comprehensive Office Exam
Office visits include a thorough physical exam, extensive review of medical
history, and an evaluation of medications and dietary needs. Referrals for outside
tests for diagnosis are also given, in addition to rapid responses to blood
tests and prompt follow-up phone calls.
Biventricular Pacemaker Evaluation and Optimization
Patients are screened for dysynchrony, or a loss of synchronized communication
between the left and right aspects of the heart (a common complication of congestive
heart failure). The CHF department practitioners may recommend this treatment
in an effort to improve heart function.
Inpatient Consultation
Patients who are newly diagnosed with CHF and need a specialty physician can
come in for a follow-up appointment after their hospital visit.
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Research & Clinical Trials
E-Valve Study
Research on non-surgical repairs of leaking mitral valve by cardiac catheterization.
TOP CAT Study
Research of patients with congestive heart failure involving the medication Spironolactone. This program is designed as a double blind study.
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