Heart Failure

Treatment decisions are guided by factors such as the type, cause and severity of your heart failure. Treatments you can receive at Lahey include:

Disease Management Assistance through the Lahey Heart Failure Clinic

Our Heart Failure Clinic brings together a team of experts to address your unique needs. Among them are advanced practitioners and pharmacists who specialize in heart failure. They work closely with board-certified, advanced heart failure cardiologists. Our team also includes a cardiac genetics expert, a psychologist who specializes in cardiac patients, and a palliative care specialist.

Our goals are to help you function better and improve your sense of well-being. We also work to prevent hospital readmissions for heart failure.

Services include:

• Assessment to determine if you qualify for clinical research trials that study new treatments.
• Education about heart failure, proper diet, exercise and non-medication treatments.
• Emotional support.
• Evaluations by experts who specialize in heart failure management.
• Medications tailored to your needs.

Heart Failure Pharmacotherapy Clinic

One of our pharmacists will meet with you and help adjust your medication doses as needed. They’ll also monitor you for side effects.

CardioMEMS Sensor

A CardioMEMS sensor is an implantable device that you receive in an outpatient procedure. It remotely monitors the pressure in your lungs. Our team receives this information each day.

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT)

You may benefit from biventricular pacemaker. In some people, this device improves symptoms and makes it easier to exercise. Lahey is a regional leader in CRT.

Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) and Heart Transplantation

If you have severe heart failure and meet the established criteria, we offer evaluations for LVADs and heart transplants.

An LVAD is a device that helps your heart’s left ventricle pump blood to your body more effectively. If we determine you’re a candidate for this device, we coordinate a referral to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) or another appropriate center.

Our Advanced Heart Failure cardiologists are part of the Beth Israel Lahey Health Heart Transplant Program, and evaluate patients with advanced heart failure for potential heart transplant. Nearly all of the evaluation and testing can be performed at Lahey and follow up care after surgery will also be with your advanced heart failure team at Lahey Clinic.

Sarcoidosis Program

Sarcoidosis is a condition in which small collections of inflammatory cells, known as granulomas, form in body tissues. They can build up in various organs, including your lungs, lymph nodes, skin, eyes or heart. When they affect the heart, you can develop heart failure. Treatment is available but depends on getting an accurate diagnosis.

Our Sarcoidosis Program has been honored as an "International Sarcoidosis Center of Excellence" by the World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG) society. WASAG is the world's leading sarcoidosis society, and the Lahey program is one of only 38 centers in the country (and the only center in New England).

If doctors suspect you have sarcoidosis, our heart failure specialists can evaluate you. When appropriate, we develop a treatment plan.

Lahey is one of only a few medical centers to offer specialized sarcoidosis care with a team of experts that includes:

We personalize treatment to your unique situation.

Lahey Multidisciplinary Amyloidosis Program

Amyloidosis is a rare disease in which abnormal proteins in the blood form bands of fiber (fibrils) called amyloid. These proteins can accumulate in body tissues and cause organ damage. When they build up in the heart, it affects the organ’s ability to pump blood effectively. This can lead to heart failure.

At Lahey, we use a team approach to amyloidosis care that brings together doctors from multiple specialties. This includes experts in:

Our team will review your case and decide together on the best treatment for you.