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Prognosis
or Outlook of Heart Failure in Women
With the right care,
heart failure will not stop you from doing the things you enjoy. Your
prognosis or outlook for the future will depend on how well your heart
muscle is functioning, your symptoms, and how well you respond to and
follow your treatment plan.
In general, women
with heart failure survive longer than men with heart failure1-2
but remain symptomatic (ie. shortness of breath) and functionally more
limited3-4. Women with heart failure also require hospitalization
more frequently than men.
Your health care
team will help you manage your condition and help you stay on track with
your heart failure treatment plan.
It is important to keep regular follow-up appointments with your health
care team, as well as to take your medications as prescribed, make dietary
changes and live an active and healthy lifestyle.
Everyone with a chronic
illness, such as heart failure, should discuss their desires for extended
medical care with their doctor and family. An "advance directive"
or "living will" is one way to let everyone know your wishes.
A living will expresses your desires about the use of medical treatments
to prolong your life. This document is prepared while you are fully competent
in case you are unable to make these decisions at a later time. Click
here for more information.
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will open with this link. The inclusion of links to other web sites does
not imply any endorsement of the material on the web sites or any association
with their operators
written with Dr.
Eileen Hsich, specialist in Women & Heart Failure
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Failure and Women Navigation |
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