Expert Teams Treat Heart Failure

Our team helps patients improve their quality of life through early detection, advanced treatment options, lifestyle changes, medication management and much more.

Patients receive high-quality care from nurse practitioners, dietitians, pharmacists, case managers, patient educators and other caregivers, all under the direction of a heart failure cardiologist. Working together, we offer patients personalized, comprehensive care to help them achieve positive, long-term outcomes.

Types of Heart Failure We Treat

  • Left-sided heart failure – there are two types:
    • Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), also called systolic failure
    • Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), also called diastolic failure
  • Right-sided heart failure
  • Right-sided, or right ventricular (RV), failure

Understanding Heart Failure

Heart failure means your heart cannot pump blood efficiently. As a result, your body may not get all the blood and oxygen it needs to function normally, and blood and fluid may back up in your lungs, feet and other parts of your body. While there’s no cure for heart failure, the condition is treatable through proper medications, lifestyle changes and support.

Cardiovascular Services Conditions & Treatments

Heart Failure Causes

Abnormal genes that get passed down in a family (familial cardiomyopathy)

Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)

Alcohol or drug use

Plaque buildup in the arteries of your heart (or coronary artery disease)

Pregnancy

Faulty heart valves

Heart attack (or myocardial infarction)

Heart defects present at birth (congenital heart disease)

High blood pressure

Some cancer drugs

Viruses infecting the heart

Heart Failure Symptoms

Discomfort or swelling in the abdomen

Impaired thinking

Increased trouble sleeping

Increased heart rate

Increased swelling of legs, feet, and ankles

Loss of appetite or nausea

Loss of muscle

Persistent dry hacking cough or wheezing

Overall feeling of being tired or run-down

Shortness of breath when lying down, at rest or with exertion

Sudden weight gain (fluid buildup)

Common Tests for Heart Failure

Blood tests

Cardiac catheterization

Chest x-ray

Echocardiogram

Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)

Exercise stress test

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Physical examination

Heart Failure Treatment

Medications

Aldosterone antagonists

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)

Angiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs)

Anticoagulants (blood thinners)

Antiarrhythmics

Beta-blockers

Cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins)

Diuretics

Hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate

Lifestyle Changes

A heart-healthy diet

Avoiding or limiting excessive amounts of alcohol

Avoiding tobacco or drug use

Keeping track of any symptoms

Monitoring blood pressure

Practicing healthy sleep habits

Regular exercise

Tracking daily fluid intake

Vaccinations to prevent illnesses, such as pneumonia or the flu

Devices and Surgical Procedures

Cardiac Bypass Surgery

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT)

Heart Transplantation

Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)

Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)

Valve surgery

Healthcare worker holding elderly patient's hand
Man in fitness center

Why Choose Broward Health?

Our board-certified team is experienced in all aspects of cardiac health and heart failure. Broward Health has wide-ranging resources and support for patients and their families to help navigate life with heart failure.

Support Groups

Broward Health offers a free, monthly support group for patients living with or at risk for heart failure and their loved ones. Patients may register at BrowardHealth.org/Events or call 954.759.7400. 

Rehabilitation Program

Patients also have access to our Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, accredited by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). Using state-of-the-art equipment, patients participate in a medically supervised program consisting of exercise, education, counseling and training that helps patients with heart disease achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. To utilize our Cardiac Rehab, please contact us at 954.712.4275.

Meet Our Team

Headshot of Yordanka I. Reyna, MD, FACC

Yordanka I. Reyna, MD, FACC

Director of Broward Health's Heart Failure Services

Dr. Reyna is a cardiologist specializing in advanced heart failure and cardiac transplantation. She currently serves as an Internal Medicine and Cardiology faculty member at Broward Health. As an investigator, she has participated in numerous clinical studies on medications and therapies for heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. Dr. Reyna is board certified by the ABIM in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Advanced Heart Failure Transplant Cardiology and Echocardiography.

Dr. Reyna completed her Internal Medicine residency and fellowship training at Cleveland Clinic Florida, where she was awarded the Outstanding Resident Award and served as Chief Cardiology Fellow. She finalized her training with an Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

 

Heart Failure Articles

Pills and a syringe on a document whose title is "Heart Failure"
Clinical Guidelines for Heart Failure

To get the best care for heart failure (HF), talking frankly with your healthcare team is a good place to start.

An outpatient is having her blood pressure checked
7 Steps to Better Blood Pressure Control

Even if you already have atherosclerosis or have had a heart attack, there's a lot you can do to prevent future heart problems.

Hand checking Yes box to question, "Are you at risk for heart disease?"
Heart Disease: How Disease Management Helps

Regular physical activity and a heart-healthy diet are essential components of managing heart disease.