Clinical CPD topic
Heart failure: practise, reflect and record
Practise heart failure through five clinical cases, review the explanations and build a professional learning record. Select echocardiography to assess suspected heart failure and underlying structural abnormalities.
First published · Sources checked
What you’ll work on
- Select echocardiography to assess suspected heart failure and underlying structural abnormalities.
- Choose initial diuresis for acute congestion and urgent medication-safety action for symptomatic hyperkalaemia.
- Identify appropriate SGLT2-inhibitor use in diabetes with heart failure and ivabradine eligibility in optimised HFrEF.
Think through a clinical case
Decide how you would approach this case before opening the question session.
A 55-year-old man presents with a 2-month history of worsening exertional breathlessness and ankle swelling. He has a past medical history of hypertension treated with Ramipril 10mg OD. Examination reveals a displaced apex beat, bilateral pitting oedema to the mid-shin, and bibasal crackles on auscultation. An ECG shows sinus rhythm with left ventricular hypertrophy. What investigation is most crucial for diagnosing the underlying cause of his symptoms?
A case from the UKMLA question bank. The session provides the answer and explanation after your attempt.
From a decision to a learning record
- Test your reasoning. Answer five questions from this topic’s clinical-content library.
- Explore the gaps. Review explanations and use Tutor to work through decisions that need more thought.
- Reflect on application. Describe what you learned and what you would change or investigate.
- Review your evidence. Confirm the activity and time spent, then retain or export your professional record.
Primary sources and further reading
Read the source in the same jurisdiction as your question session.
- Recommendations | Chronic heart failure in adults: diagnosis and management | Guidance | NICEUK source
- Recommendations | Acute heart failure: diagnosis and management | Guidance | NICEUK source
- Initial medicines | Type 2 diabetes in adults: management | Guidance | NICEUK source
- Further medication | Type 2 diabetes in adults: management | Guidance | NICEUK source
- Aldactone 25mg Tablets — UK SmPCUK source
- 1 Recommendations | Ivabradine for treating chronic heart failure | Guidance | NICEUK source
- Ivabradine 5 mg Film-coated Tablets — UK SmPCUK source