Heart Function Clinic

Heart failure is a serious condition where the heart is no longer pumping as well as it should be. Common symptoms of heart failure include fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, having a hard time exercising and swelling of ankles and feet.  

The heart function team includes cardiologists, a nurse practitioner and a clinical nurse specialist who work together to provide expert medical care. Our team aims to optimize your quality of life by improving symptoms and reducing the need for hospital stays.  

We also provide care for patients who are using ventricular assist devices (VADs), and those waiting for a heart transplant.

Our clinic is also a site for groundbreaking research. We study the mechanics of heart function to improve diagnosis and treatment. Patients may qualify to participate in clinical trials that study new treatment options for heart failure.

Visit the Canadian Heart Failure Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation for more information about heart failure.

What to expect

Your first visit to the clinic will include a consultation with a cardiologist. You may also see a nurse practitioner or a resident physician as part of your care.

We may order blood work and other tests like an echocardiogram to be done before your appointment. We will tell you if this is the case when we confirm your appointment.  

During the appointment, we will go over your medical history, symptoms and discuss options to manage your heart failure to improve your quality of life.  

We will tailor your treatment plans to your need. Your plan may include the following:

• Medications
• Lifestyle changes like exercise and diet
• Surgery
• Medical devices like pacemakers, defibrillators and ventricular assist devices (VADs)

Some patients in our program go on to receive heart transplants.

The goal of the heart function clinic is to support you in managing your heart failure diagnosis. But, it is not a replacement for your primary care physician. We will work with your primary care physician to help implement the recommendations from the clinic into your overall care plan.  

Heartfull Palliative Care

Through our partnership with The Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care we help patients manage their chronic symptoms due to heart failure. These may include pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue and anorexia. We offer support both in clinic and in their own homes.  

qHF Clinic

The qHF (Quick Heart Function) Clinic is a rapid response clinic. It is designed to help patients who were diagnosed with heart failure in our emergency room or an inpatient unit get timely follow-up care. Appointments at the qHF clinic require a referral.  

What to bring

Your health (OHIP) card or valid health care coverage

• A list of your current medications  
• A list of your current physicians  
• A support person, if desired  

How to access our services

Patients are referred to us from our inpatient unit, our emergency department, external cardiologists and family physicians. Visit our referral criteria for more information.