Heart Failure Care

U.S. News ranks all three Duke hospitals as “high-performing” in heart failure care, indicating our hospitals are significantly better than the national average. Duke University Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital, a campus of Duke University Hospital, also received 2023 awards from the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program. These awards recognize that we offer high-quality heart failure care and highlights our commitment to continuous improvement.

Centers of Excellence and Other Designations
Heart failure is a complex disease with varied causes and effects. Our expertise goes beyond heart failure itself to address related conditions, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, pulmonary hypertension, sarcoidosis, and more.

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - Center of Excellence, HCMA
• Pulmonary hypertension - Accredited Pulmonary Hypertension Care Center, PHA
• Sarcoidosis - Recognized Clinic, WASOG

Heart Disease Prevention 
If you are at risk for developing heart failure, our heart disease prevention program helps fine-tune your overall health and monitors you for heart failure symptoms.

Cardiac Rehabilitation
If you were recently diagnosed with heart failure or are recovering from a heart episode, our cardiac rehabilitation specialists use exercise, education, and individualized home plans to improve your heart function and overall mobility. Duke researchers led an important clinical trial that demonstrated heart failure patients benefit from cardiac rehab.

Medication Management
Your providers may suggest a combination of medications to treat heart failure symptoms and improve your heart’s function. Our providers and pharmacists are experts at adjusting your doses to maximize the benefits and minimize side effects. We host a special clinic focused on selecting the right medicines for you.

Interventional Procedures and Surgeries
In certain people, heart failure can be helped by minimally invasive procedures like TAVR, which can repair dysfunctional heart valves, and open heart surgery like CABG to open blocked arteries.

Implantable Devices 
We offer implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) to manage arrhythmias that can be related to heart failure. If you receive an implanted device, providers at our specialty clinic ensure the device is continually fine-tuned for optimum performance.

Barostimulation 
Barostimulation, also called baroreflex activation therapy, can help manage symptoms related to heart failure. Barostimulation is a type of neuromodulation -- a surgically implanted device produces low-current electrical impulses to stimulate a key reflex. This interrupts abnormal heart rhythm activity.

Ventricular Assist Device
A ventricular assist device (VAD) is a mechanical heart pump that is surgically placed into your heart to help it distribute blood throughout your body. Duke is certified by The Joint Commission for our high standards and positive outcomes for ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation therapy.

Heart Transplantation
Duke is among the top programs in the U.S. for the number of heart transplants performed each year, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. We have some of the shortest wait times in the region. Our team uses advanced techniques to match more hearts with more people who have heart failure and related conditions.

You are the most important member of your care team. Our heart failure specialists, general and interventional cardiologists, surgeons, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, therapists, and others work with you to tailor your heart failure care.

Prioritizing Convenience
Whenever possible, we schedule multiple appointments on the same day to save you time. We also offer virtual video visits when appropriate.

Remote Monitoring
Our team of specialists can monitor weight changes, lung pressure, and heart function remotely to identify potential problems, change medications, and offer intervention before issues reach a critical stage.

Support Throughout the Process
The heart failure team includes nurses and coordinators who serve as your direct contacts if you have a question or problem. Duke social workers and support programs offer emotional and psychological support to you and your caregivers.

Partnering with Your Local Cardiologist Through Shared Care
We understand that you may want to keep seeing your local cardiologist while also seeking more advanced care at Duke. We routinely collaborate with local cardiology teams to ensure you receive the best care here and at home.

Advanced Technology
From diagnostic tools to the most advanced procedures, Duke’s heart failure specialists use high-tech cardiac imaging, the latest assistive devices, and highly accurate and less-invasive surgical techniques to provide the highest-quality care to you.

Access to Clinical Trials
As part of the Heart Failure Clinical Research Network, we participate in studies evaluating new treatment options and best practices for people with heart failure. As a Duke patient, you may have access to heart failure clinical trials and new treatments that aren’t yet available elsewhere.