OCC News, Volume 1
Updated: Sep 24
Clinical Insights
New exertional breathlessness, fatigue, orthopnea, edema or rapid weight gain may signal heart failure. Assess before symptoms become severe.
CCS recommends a 12-lead ECG and echocardiography when heart failure is suspected. These help assess rhythm, cardiac structure and function.
Ejection fraction above 40% does not rule out heart failure. The 2025 CCS/CHFS update addresses symptomatic patients in this group.
Case Insights
A patient with established heart failure reports more breathlessness, less stamina and a 2 kg weight gain over two days. These changes call for prompt clinical review of congestion, treatment and the individual action plan.
Encourage daily morning weights and symptom tracking. Heart & Stroke advises contacting the heart failure team or family doctor for a 2 kg change in two days or 2.5 kg in a week. Dietary and fluid advice should follow the patient's own care plan..
Clinic Updates
MORE AMBULATORY HOLTER MONITORS
Additional Ambulatory Holter Monitors and next-day Exercise Stress Testing are now available at both OCC and OCCO locations. Please continue using the usual referral and booking process.
Referral Tip of the Month
Consider cardiology assessment for new or uncertain heart failure, worsening symptoms, recurrent congestion or difficulty optimizing treatment. With the referral, include a symptom timeline, ECG, all current medications, renal function and relevant comorbidities; request a consult and an echocardiogram.
Route emergencies to urgent care: severe breathlessness at rest, chest pain, fainting or suspected acute pulmonary edema requires immediate assessment rather than a routine fax referral. gain.
Health Awareness
World Heart Day!
September 29, 2026
Revisit cardiovascular prevention: blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, tobacco use and physical activity. Encourage timely follow-up for patients at risk.
CLINICAL SOURCES
CCS/CHFS Heart Failure Guideline Update (2025); CCS Heart Failure Diagnosis Guideline (2017); Heart & Stroke Canada, Heart Failure.
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