Heart Failure Management

The most feasible and appropriately viable approach to care

The most feasible and appropriately viable approach to care as such would involve a multiplicity of nutritional therapy alongside other alternatives. A typical program offering home centered care entails visits spread out weekly or so. They are mainly carried out by professional physicians accompanied by a nurse and serve to assess the state of the particular patient. Review of treatment and medicine is undertaken and changes as necessary executed. Administration of venous diuretics proceeded laboratory checks examination. A determination of the victim’s dosage conformity is made from the pill count, which is later ensued by patient’s current status, physically speaking. The oversight is availed regardless as many a times the patient lacks knowledge about dosage compliance. The information as drawn from assessment of the patient during the home visit is availed to his very primary doctors. The nurse is burdened with the responsibility of enlightening the patients. It is the nurse that provides advice and guidelines regarding behavioral tendencies that demystify and encourage compliance. The visit is by procedure followed up by a phone call every other week for six weeks. During these additional counseling helps with devotion to dietary, drug and self-observing of indicators (Grady et al, 2000).

Treatment Plan

The treatment plan should incorporate the management of air passages for the patient. It is imperative especially as the aged might promptly fatigued thus calling for immediate intubation. The use of Furosemide and other diuretics is advisable in a bid to break down venous congestion. Their use however calls for regulation as it could potentially lead to either renal functioning detriment or decreased circulating volume. On the other hand, for pulmonary edema, the use of nitrate IV in addition to morphine is advisable. To add to that, fluid retention and accompanying indicators can be cured by diuretic proceeded by observing of the weight. Extra medication entails administration of ACE inhibitor relative to the patient’s tolerance. Spironolactone, digoxin and 8 blockers can also be used for the treatment. Angiotensin antagonists can be administered to patients whose ACE inhibition is contraindicated (Gillespie, 2005).

Patient and Family education

Constituting majorly in patient care is the educating and counseling of heart failure suffers. Overall, it cuts down on costs as well as the readmission of former patients that could lead to a vicious cycle scenario. The enlightenment is availed via mail contain customized educational materials that build on suggested behavioral health tendencies and self-care. By way of extension, the patient’s wife is also trained on the effects of suffering heart failure and has an evaluation done on her history in order to establish her risk levels of going down with the condition: the result of which could be hypertension. Scriptural materials and videotapes may additionally serve as patient education resources (Quaglietti et al, 2000).

Teaching Plan

The following steps should be incorporated in the teaching plan:

Ø Comprehension of the indicators of heart failure would be a good place to start. Demystification of the condition of heart failure is in order as some patients are ignorant of the condition. Clarification of the indicators and symptoms of heart failure and deteriorating failure should be made to the patients.

Ø A display of videos or presentation on heart failure and cardiomyopathy can be used to show to the patient and spouse the effects of the disease.

Ø Behavioral guidance on dietary habits and inclinations and appropriate suggestion of exercise and cardiovascular activities would be imperative.

Ø Information regarding medication such as name and dosage should be communicated and taught to the patient and spouse. In addition, on paper medication roster should be given to the patient to cut back on the effects of polypharmacy on his daily life, compliance and interactions

The main agenda of education alongside counseling is to help the sufferers to conform to the medication regimen. In addition, the two are imperative in establishing clinical constancy and utility, consequently bettering the eminence of life. The attainment of aforementioned objectives; however, is reliant on patient and everyday acquaintance to the state of heart failure and its management and sustained involvement care plan.

References

Gillespie, N. D. (2005). The diagnosis and management of chronic heart failure in the older patient. British medical bulletin, 75(1), 49-62.

Grady, K. L., Dracup, K., Kennedy, G., Moser, D. K., Piano, M., Stevenson, L. W., & Young, J. B. (2000). Team management of patients with heart failure: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Cardiovascular Nursing Council of the American Heart Association. Circulation, 102(19), 2443-2456.

Quaglietti, S. E., Atwood, J. E., Ackerman, L., & Froelicher, V. (2000). Management of the patient with congestive heart failure using outpatient, home, and palliative care. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 43(3), 259-274.