When your heart is unable to pump blood properly, you may be diagnosed with congestive heart failure, which is a chronic condition that gets worse over time. Getting treatment sooner may help slow the progression and relieve symptoms. Heart specialists at Ascension St. Vincent’s specialize in diagnosing and treating heart failure. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue and having swollen ankles, legs or stomach. When you choose Ascension St. Vincent’s for your heart failure care, you get cardiologists and surgeons trained in the latest heart care testing, treatment and procedures. As part of a national team, your doctors share best practices and research, delivering advanced heart care close to home.
Every appointment starts with a conversation about how you are feeling, any new symptoms or concerns. Your care team will take the time to answer all your questions. By getting to know you, your doctor and care team deliver the heart care that’s right for you.
Your doctor connects the dots for your care -- including connecting you to heart screenings and the right cardiovascular specialists. To diagnose heart failure, your doctor may recommend testing, such as:
- Cardiac nuclear imaging
- Echocardiogram (TTE)
- Exercise stress testing
- Stress echocardiograms
- Transesophageal echocardiograms (TEE)
- 24-hour ambulatory EKG monitoring “Holter”
Congestive heart failure treatments and care
Congestive heart failure is a condition that has stages and gets worse over time. Cardiovascular disease, such as narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation (AFib), a leaky heart valve, and inherited conditions can cause congestive heart failure. Your doctor listens to understand you. Then, your doctor works with you to create a care plan that’s right for you.
Protected PCI for severe heart disease
At the heart failure clinic at Ascension St. Vincent’s, our doctors specialize in advanced heart failure treatments, including a heart pump. If you have been told you're not a candidate for heart surgery, your doctor may recommend percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). During this procedure, an interventional cardiologist will inflate a small balloon in the narrowed portion of your artery to re-open it and restore normal blood flow. Your doctor may also insert a small stent to keep your artery open. PCI is a minimally invasive procedure that may help shorten your recovery time and lower your risk of complications.
Our multispecialty cardiovascular care teams deliver many treatment options for advanced heart failure, including:
- Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)
- Coronary bypass surgery
- Heart valve repair or replacement
- Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)
- Medical management, including remote patient monitoring
- Medication therapies
- Ventricular assist device (VAD)
In 2022, the heart failure program at Ascension St. Vincent’s was recognized by the American Heart Association as a Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure GOLD PLUS with Honor Roll award. This award recognizes programs that have the latest evidence-based treatment guidelines to help improve patient care and outcomes.
Get a second opinion on your heart or vascular condition, diagnosis or care plan
Get the confidence and peace of mind that your doctor and cardiovascular care plan are right for you. It's easy to get a second opinion at Ascension St. Vincent’s. We can review your medical records and healthcare history to answer your questions and discuss options. Talk with one of our doctors about a personalized heart care plan.
When you are facing a new diagnosis or are deciding on a surgical or therapeutic treatment plan, there’s a lot to think about. If you are looking for a second opinion for advanced heart care, our cardiologists can also connect you with the right specialists for minimally invasive surgery and open-heart surgery, including coronary bypass, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and ventricular assist devices (VADs). Our heart and vascular specialists can provide a second opinion, based on our experience and as part of a national care team.
Before your appointment, check with your insurance company to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records on your behalf, so that they can be shared with your care team before your arrival.
CALL – 904-450-8520
Helping you transition to home from the hospital
After you leave the hospital, you are connected with the Cardiac Transition of Care Clinic. Care teams at our clinic will help you manage your heart condition until you are seen by your heart doctor. You are given information on how to take care of your heart to help avoid a more serious condition. Your care team includes a pharmacist and nurse practitioner who work with you and your doctor to help you transition from the hospital to your home.
To contact the heart failure navigator at the Cardiac Transition of Care Clinic, call 904-450-8520.
If you are in the hospital after having a heart attack and you have been diagnosed with heart failure, your heart care team monitors your progress in the hospital. After you leave the hospital, we help transition your care to our outpatient clinic. At your first appointment, you and your doctor will discuss your care plan, including ways to help improve your recovery.
Helping you understand your heart health
By knowing how heart failure affects your health, you can better manage your heart care at home. You can choose to attend classes in this program at no cost to you. Find out more about ways to manage heart failure in all aspects of your life. By participating in eight classes over four weeks, you will learn about:
- Anatomy and heart function
- Heart failure medications
- Advanced care planning
- Nutrition
- Stress management
- Treatment options
- Physical and occupational therapy (exercise recommendations)
- Lifestyle changes
Classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays, with a one-hour information session and one hour of supervised exercise. You and your family are welcome to participate. Please call 904-308-7560 for more information and class times.
Frequently asked questions about heart failure
