Living

When faced with a chronic health condition like heart failure, many people rely on the help and support of a caregiver. In many ways, the family members, partners, and friends...

Editor's note: Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this series. The process of being a patient doesn’t end with managing my physical or mental health. Ironically, that is just...

To stay healthy, most of us see doctors on a regular basis. Once diagnosed with a chronic disease like heart failure, we are often exposed to various different types of...

Who should control your prescriptions? This is one question that can be a source of confusion for anyone with more than one doctor. Most people have a cardiologist and a...

Editor's note: Check out Part 1 and Part 3 of this series. Managing an ever-changing “new normal” isn’t always easy. It can take a physical, mental, social, and emotional toll. One...

Millions of people around the world have been diagnosed with heart failure. While many people with the condition experience similar symptoms, heart failure can be classified in several different ways...

Fluid overload is one of the scariest common complications with heart failure. It looks terrible and is an obvious sign and reminder that you have heart failure, and at this...

Editor's note: Check out Part 2 and Part 3 of this series. It seems I'm always learning on this journey. So much so, that I’ve adopted many mantras and fight words...

Life with heart failure can look different from person to person. Severity, type of heart failure, and treatment plans can all vary. Heart failure also comes with a wide range...

Along with a slew of "not for prime time" words, I found myself using many new words to describe my heart attack, condition, and how I live post-diagnosis. A recent survey...

In recent years, health insurance and the cost of healthcare have become issues of regular debate. Our 2020 Heart Failure In America survey looked at the health insurance status of...

Maintaining a relationship with a significant other can be very trying when one or both of you have a chronic illness that can limit daily activities. It isn’t always easy...

Lab work is something people with heart failure are used to being drawn. Every three, six, or twelve months we have lab work drawn to check the effectiveness of medication...

I remember back when I was first diagnosed with heart failure. I was shocked - in a jaw-dropping way - overwhelmed, and couldn't process information as quickly as I had been...

Hypertension seems to be common in our community. Of those who participated in our Heart Failure in America survey, 51% said they also had hypertension. So, what is hypertension? What...

Keeping up with household chores can be a burden, even more so for people who suffer from heart failure. Things that would be easy for most people can be absolutely...

There are a variety of different diagnoses, symptoms, and experiences related to heart failure. Some of these can be based on what part of the heart is affected, how severe...

A common complaint that I see people having with diuretics is they stop working or become less effective. What exactly does this mean? Can a medication simply stop working? Why...

Rev. Isaac Dusenbury is a chaplain at Duke University Hospital. He completed his chaplain residency at Duke University Hospital’s Surgical and Intensive Care Unit and graduated from the Divinity School...

One of the biggest questions I ask myself is if I should take it easy and follow what my doctor recommends or if I should push myself with the mentality...