The Irish Association of Heart Failure Nurses (IAHFN)! Are calling on nurses across Ireland to support them in the “heart failure doesn’t stop us awareness campaign”. With over 90,000 people living with heart failure in Ireland, raising awareness is more important than ever.
Heart failure is a progressive condition where the heart struggles to pump blood efficiently. Symptoms such as breathlessness, swollen ankles, and overwhelming fatigue are often mistaken for the signs of aging or less serious illness delaying the diagnosis and treatment
The European theme of this year’s Heart Failure Awareness Week, “Heart Failure Doesn’t Stop Us”, highlights the resilience, determination, and hope that people living with heart failure embody every day. IAHFN want people to know that heart failure is manageable. With the right treatment, support, and lifestyle changes, many can lead full active lives.
Throughout the heart failure awareness week heart failure Nurses across Ireland will be sharing information, hosting clinics and supporting educational campaigns to highlight:
- Common signs and symptoms of heart failure
- The importance of early intervention and specialist care
- Healthy heart habits for prevention
- Support services available for patients and families
This Heart Failure Awareness Week, the IAHFN appeal to nursing colleagues across Ireland to join them in their efforts to promote earlier diagnosis of heart failure. Consider heart failure in your breathless, fatigued patient. A simple blood test (NTproBNP) can determine the need for further investigation with echocardiography. The IAHFN are committed to improving outcomes by raising awareness to ensure earlier diagnosis, thereby facilitating earlier access to life saving treatment, and enhancing quality of life for those affected by heart failure.
For more information and useful educational resources for heart failure, please visit www.heartfailurematters.org, www.irishheart.ie and www.croi.ie.
