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Congestive heart failure (CHF) occurs when there are problems with the heart's pumping mechanism or its ability to relax properly.
If it's not managed carefully, CHF leads to fluid build-up in the lungs, which results in breathing problems and hospitalization.
To help people with CHF stay out of the hospital, the Heart & Vascular Institute started a unique CHF education program.
People who qualify for the program are given a high-tech scale called the Cardiocom Telescale.
Every morning, they're required to weigh in on their Telescale at home. The scale asks a series of questions about their health,
such as:
- Are you more short of breath than usual?
- Are your feet and ankles swollen?
- Are you taking all of your medications?
The data is then transferred over phone lines to specially trained nurses at the Heart & Vascular Institute.
If the nurses notice a problem, such as a change in weight or an unusual symptom, they call the patient immediately.
They either give the patient advice over the telephone, or call the patient's physician.
The goal of the program is to catch problems early, before they lead to serious medical problems.
Patients must be referred to the program by their physician. To learn more, call 912-350-HAVI (4284).
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