Advanced Therapies

Congestive heart failure is considered advanced when your symptoms are no longer controlled with medication, you’ve been in the hospital several times for heart failure issues, or your ejection fraction is below 50 percent. Your ejection fraction is a measure of how much blood leaves your heart every time it beats.

One treatment option for advanced heart failure is an electric heart device, like a pacemaker or defibrillator, that’s inserted under your skin near your heart to help your heart function better. There’s also a wearable defibrillator vest that may be an option for you. Heart surgery and nonsurgical procedures are also sometimes used to help treat advanced heart failure.

It’s important to remember that you have options for treating your heart failure. Together, you and your care team will make the decisions that are right for you.