Diagnosing and Managing Your Condition
Tips for Working with Your Doctor
Your Congestive Heart Failure Team

Diagnosing and Managing Your Condition

It is important to work with your doctor in managing congestive heart failure. Your doctor's role in this partnership is to provide medical advice, suggest treatment options and recommend resources. Your role is to monitor your symptoms, report them accurately, and manage your disease on a daily basis.

To determine if your symptoms are a sign of congestive heart failure, your doctor will need to take your medical history, examine you and conduct a number of tests. Two common radiology tests performed to diagnose congestive heart failure are an echocardiogram and radionuclide scan.

Echocardiogram - An echocardiogram assesses your heart's size and the amount of blood being ejected from your heart during each heartbeat. This test determines the strength of your heart's pumping action and the severity of your condition. This is a very useful test because it also helps determine the cause of the congestive heart failure.

Radionuclide scan - A radionuclide scan measures how well your heart is pumping.

Tips for Working with Your Doctor

• Choose your family doctor carefully. Look for someone who is knowledgeable about congestive heart failure and who is interested in working cooperatively with you. Your doctor should be familiar with the latest clinical guidelines and standards for congestive heart failure care.



• Learn as much as you can about congestive heart failure so you can ask questions and identify problems than may need extra attention.



• Be your own advocate. Understand what type of care is recommended for people with congestive heart failure, and ask your doctor about treatment options.



• Work with your doctor to set goals for better management of your condition.



• Your family doctor will manage most of your care, but you may be referred to other medical specialists when necessary. For instance, you may be referred to a cardiologist. Your family doctor and other medical specialists work together as a team. Don't hesitate to ask for a referral if you think it necessary.



• Ask your family doctor for a referral to your local Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre.



• Make sure you understand what medications you should be taking, why they have been prescribed, how to take them, and possible side effects.



• If you find it difficult to follow your doctor's instructions or are reluctant to take a medicine because of side effects, be sure to tell your doctor.



• Keep a health diary or logbook to help you remember medications, activities, and appointments and to record your weight, symptoms or changes in your condition.



• Take responsibility for your own health. This may include making necessary lifestyle changes, eating a healthy diet, getting enough exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling your salt and fluid intake, and quitting smoking.



• Don't hesitate to express your concerns or ask questions about your congestive heart failure care. Active involvement in your own care is critical. You can and should be involved in decisions about your treatment.

Your Congestive Heart Failure Team

Management of congestive heart failure is a team effort. Your doctor will prescribe you medications and manage your medical problems. There are other professionals who may help you manage your condition and help you achieve success. Remember, you are the key player on your 'congestive heart failure team'. Members of your team may also include:

• Nutritionist/dietician
• Nurse
• Pharmacist
• Healthy heart program
• Social worker
• Exercise specialist
• Support group
• Stop smoking program

Remember: You are the key player on this team.

Last Revised: December 17, 2007