For professionals: Heart failure tools and resources
Resources to support patients with heart failure
Healthcare professionals from all disciplines can play an important role in optimising outcomes for patients with heart failure, including avoiding hospitalisation and improving quality of life.
We have developed a range of tools and resources to support healthcare professionals to implement the Guidelines for the Prevention, Detection, and Management of Heart Failure in Australia 2018.
Developed based on the Guidelines for the prevention, detection, and management of heart failure in Australia (the Guidelines), the tools and resources below will support you to provide best practice care for your patients with heart failure.
Our Heart Failure Toolkit for health services provides a targeted approach to reducing heart failure readmissions and decreasing variation in care.
Tools from the guidelines
Below are a range of tools derived from the Guidelines:Â Â
The diagnostic work up of a patient with suspected heart failure Â
Management of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction Â
Fact sheets Â
Our fact sheets for healthcare professionals provide information about the diagnosis, classification, and pharmacological management of heart failure, based on the Guidelines. Â
Fact sheet 1: Diagnosis and classification of heart failure (2019). This fact sheet contains comprehensive information about the symptoms, signs, diagnosis and classification of heart failure. Â
Fact sheet 2: Pharmacological management of chronic heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction  (HFrEF) (2019). This fact sheet provides information about the basics of pharmacological management of chronic HFrEF.Â
Resources for GPs and health services Â
GPs play a vital role in the management of patients with heart failure in the community.Â
- This article, Heart failure guidelines: A concise summary for the GP, provides practical summary of the latest guidelines for heart failure, with a focus on the diagnosis and management of heart failure in the primary care setting. Â
- Our 5 steps to a safe discharge resource provides guidance on the key considerations when discharging a patient from hospital who has been admitted with heart failure. Â
- Our Heart Failure Toolkit for health services provides a targeted approach to reducing heart failure readmissions and decreasing variation in care.
NPS MedicineWise Collaboration Â
Early diagnosis of heart failure and effective management in primary care prolongs lives, keeps people out of hospital and improves quality of life. The Heart Foundation has previously collaborated with NPS MedicineWise to develop a range of tools, resources and information.Â
The NPS MedicineWise program on heart failure has been developed in collaboration with the National Heart Foundation of Australia. This program is fully funded by the Australian Government  Department of Health.
Request an educational visit for your general practice
GPs and practice managers can request a visit by contacting NPS MedicineWise. The program incorporates recommendations and resources developed from the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand's Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of heart failure in Australia 2018.
GPs and practice managers can request a visit by contacting NPS MedicineWise.
The program incorporates recommendations and resources developed from the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand’s Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of heart failure in Australia 2018. Â
Clinical case study for pharmacists
Learn how you can support two different patients with heart failure who present to your community pharmacy.
Learning outcomes:
Identify common symptoms and signs where heart failure may be suspected and refer patients to their GPÂ to facilitate early diagnosis.
Explain the different management approaches for heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF) and heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF).
Describe the use of guideline-recommended medicines to reduce hospitalisations and improve survival for patients with HFrEF.
Identify and recommend deprescribing medicines which can worsen heart failure.
Describe how pharmacists can improve outcomes for patients with heart failure through patient education and referral to support services as needed.
This free course is accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council for 1 hour of Group 2 CPD. Â
Webinars
Webinar: Heart failure – how a team approach can optimise patient care
This NPS MedicineWise webinar, developed in collaboration with the Heart Foundation, explores how a team approach remains central to improving the lives of people living with heart failure. This webinar covers pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies for heart failure management, including initiation and up-titration of heart failure medicines, the role of home medicines reviews and patient action plans.
Duration: 1 hour | Recording year: 2021
Audience: GPs, GP registrars, nurses and pharmacists
Speakers: Melissa Chapman, Associate Professor Ralph Audehm, Professor Andrea Driscoll, Dale Richardson, Grace Castro.
Learning objectives:
- Develop an evidence-based treatment plan including pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies to improve the care of people with heart failure.
- Describe the roles of a GP, nurse practitioner and pharmacist as part of a multidisciplinary team caring for people with heart failure.
- Identify when to refer people with heart failure to a cardiologist and support services to reduce heart failure hospitalisations.
Webinar: Demystifying echocardiography in heart failure – GP and cardiologist Q&A
This NPS MedicineWise webinar, developed in collaboration with the Heart Foundation, explores the important role echocardiography plays in the diagnosis and classification of heart failure. The webinar aims to enhance GP awareness of the importance of echocardiogram referral and increase confidence in interpreting and acting on findings when developing a management plan.
Duration: 1 hour | Recording year: 2021
Speakers: Dr Jill Thistlethwaite, Dr Jennifer Coller, Associate Professor Ralph Audehm, Dr Peter Piazza
Audience: GPs, GP registrars
Learning objectives:
- Decribe why an echocardiogram is the most important investigation to confirm the diagnosis and classification of heart failure and to guide management.
- Demonstrate improved ability and confidence in referring, interpreting and developing a management plan for patients with heart failure in response to echocardiogram findings.
- Identify when referral to a cardiologist and multidisciplinary heart failure disease management program is advisable to reduce heart failure hospitalisations.
Webinar: Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of heart failure in Australia 2018
This webinar discusses the Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of heart failure in Australia 2018, developed by the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Duration: 1 hour | Recording year: 2018
Audience: Health professionals caring for people with heart failure
Speakers: Associate Professor John Atherton, Associate Professor Ralph Audehm, Associate Professor Ingrid Hopper
Learning objectives:Â
- Implement the latest clinical guidelines for heart failure, including prevention, detection and management.Â
- Apply the clinical guidelines in practice using a case study.Â
Presentation: Heart failure guidelines
The full presentation and summary presentations of the guidelines are available below for download and can be used to present to your colleagues or work departments.
The 2018 heart failure guidelines – summary presentation
This presentation provides a summary of the key recommendations from the Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of heart failure in Australia 2018.
Length: 49 slides | Duration: Approximately 30 minutes (presentation time)
The 2018 heart failure guidelines – full presentation
This comprehensive presentation covers all the recommendations from the Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of heart failure in Australia 2018. It contains a full description of the process used to develop the Guidelines.
Length: 83 slides | Duration: Approximately 60 minutes (presentation time)
Heart Health Network newsletter Â
The Heart Health Network is the Heart Foundation’s newsletter for healthcare professionals, delivered to your inbox once a month.
Heart failure clinical guidelines
Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of heart failure in Australia, for health professionals including general practitioners, cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals.
Heart failure resources for patients
Educate your patients on everything they need to know about heart failure and managing their condition.
Last updated20 February 2024