Heart Function Clinic

What is the Heart Function Clinic?

Heart failure is a chronic illness that occurs when your heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the demands of the body. This may cause a back-up of fluid in the body.

Symptoms of heart failure may include: shortness of breath, chest congestion, and cough, as well as weight gain, ankle or leg swelling, fatigue, low energy and abdominal bloating.

Horizon’s Heart Function Clinics are multidisciplinary, outpatient clinics that works with patients to manage their heart failure symptoms. Horizon’s team of health care professionals will help you make lifestyle changes to improve quality of life, to monitor your heart failure symptoms, and to help you learn how to self-manage your symptoms.

How is this service provided?

Heart Function Clinic teams consist of nurses, cardiologists, dietitians and a psychologist. You will be seen by the clinic nurse on an individual basis to manage your heart failure care. You will have scheduled visits with your cardiologist regularly.

You will be provided with information about your heart, early warning signs of heart failure, salt and fluid restrictions, information on medications, and how to access the health care system if needed.

How can I access this service?

Access to the Heart Function Clinic is through a referral from your cardiologist.

Once the referral is received in the clinic, you will be contacted to set up an appointment. During the first visit, you will discuss causes of heart failure/symptoms, review test results/medications, provide nutrition guidelines/fluid restrictions, as well as self-management strategies. Together, you and your health care team will develop your plan of care going forward.

How do I prepare for my visits?

• For your first visit, plan to be at the Heart Function Clinic for 1 ½  to 2 hours.
• Follow-up appointments are approximately 30 minutes and are scheduled according to your progress.
• Please bring all your medications in their original bottles to all appointments.
• At each visit, you will review symptoms, medications and test results. You will be examined, and based on findings, medications may be adjusted, or further testing may be ordered.

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