Chronic Heart Failure

What is Heart Failure?

Heart failure is when the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently through the body. Oxygen and nutrients in blood provide your body with the energy it needs to operate normally.

Chronic Heart Failure has become a widespread disease, which is most often diagnosed in elderly people.

  • 1% of persons aged 50 are diagnosed with CHF
  • 5% of persons aged more than 70 are diagnosed with CHF
  • 25% of persons aged 85 and older are diagnosed with CHF
  • The annual cost to the NHS of Chronic Heart Failure is currently £600 million, which represents 1% of the total NHS budget

Most common co-morbidities for CHF patients are: Hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease.

The incidence of hospital admissions for heart failure patients is increasing rapidly and re-admissions occur within months for more than 30% of heart failure patients.

Symptoms for a CHF patient are, among others:

  • Shortness of breath (especially when performing physical activities or when lying down)
  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Coughing
  • Accumulation of fluids in the body (especially feet/ankles)

Sources and further reading

Heart Failure - disease management sheet

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Heart-Failure.htm#

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Heart-failure/Pages/Introduction.aspx?r=1&rtitle=Heart+failure+-+Introduction

How does telehealth help patients with CHF?

Tunstall’s telehealth monitors are designed to collect vital signs from devices like weight scales, blood pressure monitors and ECG monitors. Even a slight change in weight can indicate accumulation of fluids in the body and can result in hospitalisation if not treated properly and within a short period of time. A very high blood pressure can indicate that the heart is working too hard and could eventually lead to heart failure. High blood pressure and heart failure are often related and blood pressure can therefore be an important vital sign to monitor in CHF patients.

In addition to the vital signs monitoring, the mymedic and mymedic plus telehealth monitors can ask patients optional symptomatic questions to support the clinical staff when evaluating the patient.

Suggested care packages

CHF Solutions

Case study

Orchard Medical Centre, Bristol

The telehealth project has been well received by patients and clinicians alike. Healthcare professionals have found that the effects of any changes made to medication are easy to monitor using the system, and trends such as changes in body weight are more easily and quickly identified, enabling early intervention and averting crisis management. Telehealth has also proved particularly valuable for assisting patients who are reluctant or find it difficult to visit the surgery; their health can be monitored using the system and advice often given over the telephone. Clinicians have also reported that they feel patients have benefitted from an increase in knowledge and confidence to manage their own condition because of telehealth.