OCC News, Volume 1

Clinical Insights

Heart Failure does not always begin with dramatic symptoms. The earliest signs may be subtle: Increasing shortness of breath, reduced exercise tolerance, fatigue, swelling of the legs, breathlessness when lying flat or an unexpected weight gain.

These changes may reflect increasing fluid retention and can appear days before symptoms become severe enough to require urgent care. Recognizing congestion early creates an opportunity to reassess treatment before heart failure progresses.

Case Insights

A patient with known heart failure presented with increasing shortness of breath, fatigue, and gradual weight gain. Early recognition of these changes allowed the care team to reinforce the patient’s heart failure action plan, including regular weight and symptom monitoring, along with individualized dietary and fluid recommendations.

This case highlights the importance of helping patients recognize early warning signs and understand when changes in symptoms should prompt clinical follow-up.

Clinic Updates

An Increase in capacity for Holter Monitors

We have increased our ambulatory Holter monitoring capacity and added additional Holter monitors at both locations, effective immediately. This expansion is intended to help reduce wait times and improve access to cardiac monitoring services. Please continue to use the usual referral and booking process.

Referral Tip of the Month

Referring to Cardiology should be considered for new, worsening, or difficult to manage heart failure, particularly when:

• New suspected heart failure — especially when the diagnosis is uncertain or further cardiac assessment is required.

• Worsening symptoms — increasing shortness of breath, leg swelling, fatigue, breathlessness when lying flat or rapid weight gain.

Health Awareness

World Heart Day!

September 29, 2026

Considering that cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of illness worldwide, World Heart Day is a great opportunity to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and the importance of prevention, early detection and ongoing risk-factor management.