Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition that means the heart isn't able to pump enough blood for your body’s needs. The heart muscle does not pump as strongly as it should. This causes the fluid from the blood to back up into the lungs or other parts of your body such as the ankles, legs and the abdomen. A diagnosis of heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped working. It does mean the heart is muscle has weakened over time.
At first, the heart tries to keep up its with its workload by getting larger. The chambers stretch out so they can contract more strongly and pump more blood. The heart develops more muscle mass because the contracting cells get bigger and the heart is able to pump more strongly, for a while. Blood vessels get narrower to keep blood pressure up. The body diverts blood from less important tissues and organs so it can maintain blood flow to the heart and brain.
The Heart Failure Management Program at Alegent Creighton Health provides outpatient treatment and education to help chronic heart failure patients live longer, more rewarding lives. Intravenous therapy, monitoring and education are done in an outpatient setting to avoid hospitalization and decrease overall treatment costs. A multidisciplinary team, consisting of a physician, nurse, pharmacist, dietitian and others, participates in the care and support of the patient to obtain optimal therapy outcomes.
Heart Failure Accreditation
Alegent Creighton Health has received full Heart Failure Accreditation status from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. All six metro area hospitals acheived this accrediation by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria established by the SCPC and undergoing an onsite review by a team of accreditation review specialists.
Consumers can be confident that no matter which Alegent Creighton Health hospital they choose, they will receive the same high standard of care for heart failure.
Alegent Creighton Health has received full Heart Failure Accreditation status from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. All six metro area hospitals acheived this accrediation by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria established by the SCPC and undergoing an onsite review by a team of accreditation review specialists. 
