Abstract

The 2013 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Heart Failure Management Guidelines Update provides focused discussions on the management recommendations on 2 topics: (1) exercise and rehabilitation; and (2) surgical coronary revascularization in patients with heart failure. First, all patients with stable New York Heart Association class I-III symptoms should be considered for enrollment in a tailored exercise training program, to improve exercise tolerance and quality of life. Second, selected patients with suitable coronary anatomy should be considered for bypass graft surgery. As in previous updates, the topics were chosen in response to stakeholder feedback. The 2013 Update also includes recommendations, values and preferences, and practical tips to assist the clinicians and health care workers manage their patients with heart failure.

Introduction

The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) has published heart failure (HF) management guidelines since 2006 as part of a commitment to a multiyear, closed-loop initiative to provide support for the best practice of HF management. The CCS has also implemented the National Heart Failure Workshop Initiative; a series of case-based workshops initiated to discuss how to implement guidelines and identify challenges facing health care providers in HF management. Feedback from these sessions, together with specific solicited input from key stake holders, led to other important topics covered annually in subsequent years. These annual updates have produced a series of evidence-based reports with recommendations and practical tips outlining suggestions for HF management.

The constitution and roles of the primary and secondary panels, systematic review strategy, and methods for formulating the recommendations and practical tips are described in detail on the CCS HF Consensus Web site (ccsguidelineprograms.ca).

The objectives of the 2013 CCS Heart Failure Consensus Update were to provide a review of HF management and recommendations in 2 areas: (1) exercise and rehabilitation; and (2) surgical coronary revascularization.The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) has published heart failure (HF) management guidelines since 2006 as part of a commitment to a multiyear, closed-loop initiative to provide support for the best practice of HF management. The CCS has also implemented the National Heart Failure Workshop Initiative; a series of case-based workshops initiated to discuss how to implement guidelines and identify challenges facing health care providers in HF management. Feedback from these sessions, together with specific solicited input from key stake holders, led to other important topics covered annually in subsequent years. These annual updates have produced a series of evidence-based reports with recommendations and practical tips outlining suggestions for HF management.