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In May, consultant cardiologist Dr Alexander Lyon and heart failure patient educator, Julie Bartlett, joined the Keep It Pumping team for a live Heart Failure Chat on Facebook. The chat gave you the opportunity to ask Dr Lyon and Julie your burning questions and get their expert perspectives on the condition. We received lots of interesting and important questions, ranging from preventing and living with heart failure, to its impact on everyday life, overall health and information on medications.
If you missed the live chat, you can find the discussion here. Dr Lyon and Julie also took the time to answer further questions sent in through the Keep It Pumping Facebook community, watch the videos below to see their responses.
To learn more, read our quick guides to living with heart failure and caring for someone with heart failure here.
Does heart failure mean that you are disabled?
What should an individual know about living with heart failure after diagnosis?
What excercises should I consider if I run out of breath doing traditional exercise?
What foods should be avoided after a heart failure diagnosis, espcially if on blood thinners?
What strategies do you recommend to prevent heart failure?
What should I do if I experience a symptom I believe is related to heart failure but my doctor seems unconcerned?
Do you ever feel like you’re back in control when you have heart failure? My high blood pressure makes me feel like I’m having panic attacks.
Is there any support for patients dealing with mental health issues that heart failure diagnosis may bring?
I have been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, does this mean I have heart failure?
What should I do if the medication my doctor recommend I take for heart failure is making my life difficult due to side effects?
Can you be ‘cured’ after heart failure treatment? If not, how often do I need to check with my doctor how well it’s functioning?
For more information about heart failure, download our patient brochure.
David Sculthorpe, CEO of Canadian patient advocacy group, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, discusses heart failure in Canada and how it impacts so many.