Key features of palliative care include medication management, shared decision-making and goal-oriented care, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement.
Statement Highlights:
- Palliative medication management focuses on providing relief from symptoms and enhancing quality of life for people with cardiovascular disease throughout the various stages of the disease.
- Decisions about initiating, adjusting or discontinuing cardiovascular and other medicines should be patient-centered and include input from multiple specialties including cardiology experts in close collaboration with primary care professionals.
- Evidence shows that adding palliative care interventions to standard cardiovascular care improves outcomes for patients with heart disease. However, the latest research indicates palliative care is underutilized, especially among people from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who are affected by unfavorable social determinants of health and health inequities.