PALLIATIVE CARE FOR CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS MAY HELP RELIEVE SYMPTOMS AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE
Palliative care may help relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for people with cardiovascular disease and ensure that treatment is aligned with the patient's personal beliefs and values throughout all stages of illness, whether they are hospitalized in a cardiac intensive care unit or receiving outpatient care, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published today in the Association's flagship, peer-reviewed journal Circulation.
The new scientific statement, "Palliative and End-of-Life Care During Critical Cardiovascular Illness," suggests strategies to integrate palliative care principles into the management of patients with critical cardiovascular illness. Palliative care aims to improve quality of life; to minimize physical, emotional and spiritual distress; to facilitate complex discussions regarding prognosis and goals of care; and to provide emotional and psychosocial support to patients, family members and caregivers throughout all stages of illness, not just at the end of life. Currently, palliative care is most widely used caring for patients with cancer.
2025-05-15T12:03:49ZWe need to better understand the benefits of palliative care in a broad range of cardiovascular conditions and particularly for patients with acute, critical illness. People with a variety of heart conditions face increasing symptoms, functional limitations and a need to align care with their personal preferences, beliefs and values – whether that's to do everything possible or to prioritize comfort and quality of life. A patient-centered approach needs to be considered, particularly when making decisions about available and sometimes invasive care options as their condition advances."
Erin A. Bohula, M.D., D.Phil., volunteer Chair of the scientific statement writing group, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and critical care cardiologist at Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston