Palliative Care in Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with limited curative options. Palliative care is a holistic, symptom based approach to patients that has been proven to improve the quality of life for both patients and their caregivers. In this review we will summarize the epidemiology of end stage HF and the data supporting the use of palliative care in this patient population. We will also review basic principles of palliative care as they apply to caring for end stage patients.