Newly Diagnosed: Resources and Support for Patients and Caregivers

Joban Vaishnav, MD, Patient Committee

A heart failure diagnosis is life changing for both patients and their care givers. This session, will discuss the different etiologies of heart failure and how this may impact diagnostic evaluation, clinical course, and treatment. We will first focus on the different types of heart failure including heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and more specific heart failure etiologies (i.e. ischemic, non-ischemic, familial, etc.). We will then discuss a typical diagnostic work-up for heart failure and certain signs and symptoms that may prompt additive diagnostic testing. We will end with a discussion on how patients and their caregivers may advocate from themselves while navigating a new heart failure diagnosis including questions to ask your doctor and important resources in the community.