Heart Function / Transplant Clinic

The Heart Function Clinic is a specialized outpatient cardiac clinic designed to care for patients with heart failure. The clinic provides:

• Medical assessment and follow-up
• Assistance with managing medication and therapies for heart failure treatment
• Ongoing patient and family education about the disease process, diet, lifestyle, self-monitoring, and self-assessment
• Ongoing support through follow-up visits and telephone monitoring

Patient Information
Heart failure occurs when the heart is not pumping blood through the body as well as it should. As the heart’s pumping action weakens, blood backs up into the blood vessels around the lungs and causes fluid to accumulate into the lungs.

People who have extra fluid in or around their lungs can become short of breath, especially when lying flat. The fluid may also collect in other tissues of the body, which can cause swelling, often first noticed around the ankles and the feet. Because the heart is no longer strong enough to provide the body with all the blood and oxygen it needs, it is common to feel fatigued.