Lourdes Heart Failure Center
The Lourdes Heart Failure Center, located within Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, is a valuable resource for persons with heart failure. The center is a part of the New Jersey Heart Institute at Lourdes, one of a select group of centers around the country that provide ongoing maintenance care for heart failure. At Lourdes, individuals can benefit from the following:
• fluid-status review;
• drug-regimen review;
• output from assist devices,
• cardiac and other heart-related assessments.
Treatment and evaluation is individualized and includes: assessment of fluid volume with a brain natriuretic peptide (BNP); evaluation of hemodynamics (blood circulation) using a noninvasive Bio-Z monitor; STAT laboratory blood work; blood pressure monitoring and physical exam. If necessary, a diuretic is given intravenously to reduce fluid overload during the appointment.
The center works closely with physicians, hospital pharmacy and dietitians to regulate changes in the participant’s medication and nutrition regimens. Education, telephone access and follow-up appointments are a vital part of the Heart Failure Center treatment plan. The center offers emotional and family support along with lifestyle assistance. The center’s goal is to maintain or improve the quality of life of participants with heart failure and to prevent emergency department visits and hospital admissions whenever possible.
A typical participant appropriate for the Heart Failure Center includes:
• systolic dysfunction (New York) Class 3 or 4;
• heart failure-related diastolic dysfunction;
• valvular heart disease;
• recent hospital admission or Emergency Department visit for a heart failure-relatedcondition.
Download Heart Failure Brochure [256K PDF]
For more information please contact: Lourdes Heart Failure Center, Ann B. Townsend, DrNP, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, Director at (856) 668-8873.
