Overview of Palliative Care and Advanced Therapies in Stage D Heart Failure

Overview of Palliative Care and Advanced Therapies in Stage D Heart Failure; Enduring Web Course

Original Release Date: 07/01/2025

Last Review Date: May 2024

Termination Date: 06/30/2027

Description
The management of patients with advanced heart failure is complex. This course is meant to serve as an overview of palliative care, mechanical intervention, and cardiac transplantation for providing guideline-directed medical therapy for patients with stage D heart failure. Clinicians must carefully weigh the risks and benefits of each therapy to develop an individualized treatment strategy that fits the patient’s goals and values. Ensuring shared decision-making, palliative care, and multidisciplinary team collaboration are critical for respecting patient autonomy and providing optimal care.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion, participants should be able to:

1. Identify clinical indications of stage D heart failure
2. List the key elements of palliative care
3. Differentiate between the common types of mechanical intervention options
4. Determine when to consider cardiac transplantation

Accreditation Terms

Joint Accreditation: 07/01/2025 – 06/30/2027

CAPCE: N/A

AARC: N/A

Accreditation Statements

Joint Accreditation Statements
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The American Heart Association. The American Heart Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

AMA Credit Designation Statement - Physicians
The American Heart Association designates this activity for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAPA Credit Acceptance Statement – Physician Associates
AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician associates may receive a maximum of 0.25 hours of Category I credit for completing this program.

AANP Credit Acceptance Statement – Nurse Practitioners
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

ANCC Credit Designation Statement - Nurses
The maximum number of hours awarded for this CE activity is 0.25 contact hours.

Participation and Successful Completion

Successful completion of this CE activity includes the following:

1. Complete all portions of the online course
2. Complete the post-test with a score of 80% or higher
3. Complete the course evaluation
4. Print the Certificate/Statement of Credit

Disclosure Statement
All persons in a position to control educational content of a CE activity provided by the American Heart Association must disclose to the audience all financial relationships with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. The presence or absence of all financial relationships will be disclosed to the audience in activity materials. All unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices discussed will also be disclosed to the audience. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

The following authors/faculty have declared NO financial interest(s) and/or affiliations:

Howard J. Eisen, MD
Sabra Lewsey, MD, MPH
Nicholas Brownell, MD
Angela Durante, PhD, RN
Paul St Laurent, DNP, RN
Delisa Dyess, MA

This list represents the relationships that may be perceived as actual or reasonable conflicts of interest as reported on the Disclosure Questionnaire, which all AHA volunteers are required to complete and submit. The focus is on relevant financial relationships with commercial interests in the 24-month period preceding the time that the individual is being asked to assume a role controlling content:

N/A

Target Audiences
1. Physicians
2. Physician Assistants
3. Nurse Practitioners
4. Nurses

ADA Statement
The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association strive to make our websites accessible. The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association are committed to diversity, inclusion, and meeting the needs of all our constituents, including those with disabilities. We are continually improving our digital assets to comply with the accessibility guidelines for levels A and AA in accordance with WCAG 2.1. If the format of any material on our web pages interferes with your ability to access the information, please contact us to request assistance or if you have questions or comments about our web sites’ accessibility.

The target audience includes physicians, physicians’ assistants, all levels of nursing, and pharmacists (heart failure specialists, transplant care team, and palliative care team).