Communication in heart failure and palliative care

Communicating difficult information is an essential skill for clinicians of every specialty. The clinical complexity of the heart failure disease process lends itself to important opportunities to determine patient preferences about medical decisions and share information about prognosis. Nevertheless, traditionally most communication between clinicians and patients with heart failure has focused primarily on pathophysiology and treatment options. Studies indicate that patients and families wish to engage with their cardiologists in advance care planning and, when appropriate, end-of-life decision-making. Critical to whole-person care, this review describes several important communication strategies that enhance patient and family support through the inevitable rises and falls of progressive heart failure.