Heart failure and self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

India and many other countries are facing the challenge and threat posed by the growing pandemic of COVID-19. Patients with chronic conditions such as heart failure (HF) are at greater risk of getting the infection. Since the HF patients are at greater risk and hospital outpatient department facilities have also stopped temporarily, patients need to be prepared for self-care for HF. The objective of this article is to integrate practices and recommendations for self-care, in order to maintain well-being and prevent patients from getting infected. HF patients are encouraged to practice preventive and protective measures to limit the risk of COVID-19. HF nurses should focus on self-care education teaching also about medications, personal and environmental hygiene, mask management, social and personal distancing, psychosocial aspect, and diet in HF. All the patients are advised and encouraged to use teleconferencing, virtual, and other means of electronic communications to avoid direct contacts with others. All HF patients should be advised to stay at home and follow the government advisories.

Keywords

• covid-19
• heart failure
• self-care