Heart failure is a serious condition that requires timely diagnosis and effective treatment. In Singapore, advanced medical facilities and expert healthcare professionals offer comprehensive care for heart failure patients. This article explores how doctors diagnose heart failure and the various heart failure treatment options available in Singapore.
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Diagnosing Heart Failure
In order to prescribe a heart failure treatment for patients, doctors would need to first confirm the diagnosis of the condition. This is done through:
Medical History And Physical Examinations
Doctors begin by reviewing the patient’s medical history and conducting a thorough physical examination to identify symptoms and risk factors.
- Stress Test: A stress test assesses how the heart performs under physical exertion, helping to identify heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): An ECG records the heart’s electrical activity, helping to detect abnormalities in heart rhythm and structure.
Blood Tests
Blood tests, including BNP (Brain Natriuretic Peptide) or NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide) levels, help in diagnosing heart failure and assessing its severity.
Medical Imaging
- Echocardiogram: This ultrasound test provides detailed images of the heart, allowing doctors to evaluate its function and detect any structural issues.
- Chest X-ray: A chest X-ray can show the size and shape of the heart and detect fluid buildup in the lungs.
- Cardiac MRI: Cardiac MRI offers detailed images of the heart’s structure and function, aiding in the diagnosis of heart failure.
- Coronary Angiogram: In some cases, a coronary angiogram may be performed to check for blockages in the coronary arteries.
Heart Failure Treatment Options In Singapore
- Lifestyle Changes: Patients are advised to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Cardiac rehabilitation programs offer supervised exercise, education, and support to help patients manage their condition and improve their quality of life.
- Medications: Various medications are used to manage heart failure, including ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics, and aldosterone antagonists. These medications help reduce symptoms, improve heart function, and prevent complications.
- Implantable Devices: Devices such as pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices can help regulate heart rhythm and improve heart function.
- Surgical Options: In severe cases, surgical interventions such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), heart valve repair or replacement, and heart transplant may be necessary.
- Advanced Therapies: Singapore offers advanced therapies, including ventricular assist devices (VADs) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), for patients with severe heart failure.
- Multidisciplinary Care: Comprehensive heart failure programs in Singapore involve a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, dietitians, and physiotherapists to provide holistic care.
By leveraging the expertise and advanced medical facilities available in Singapore, heart failure patients can receive effective treatment and improve their quality of life.
Cost Of Heart Failure Treatment In Singapore
Below are some estimated costs for various heart failure treatments in Singapore :
Heart Failure Medications
| Medication | Cost |
| ACE Inhibitors | S$0.25 – S$2.00 |
| Beta Blockers | S$0.84 – S$1.05 |
| Calcium Channel Blockers | S$1.45 – S$1.66 |
| Diuretic | S$0.59 – S$0.75 |
| Source: Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore | |
Surgical Procedures
| Procedure | Surgeon’s Fee (Based on MOH recommended benchmark) |
| Heart, Coronary Disease, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (Open/MIS/Off Pump) | S$17,100 – S$28,000 |
| Heart, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft And Valve Surgery | S$24,400 – S$35,500 |
| Heart, Various Lesions, Aneurysmectomy And/Or Combined Valve Replacement And/Or Repair And Coronary Bypass Grafting | S$21,000 – S$31,600 |
| Heart, Various Lesions, Heart Transplantation | S$24,400 – S$35,500 |
| Heart, Valve (Repair / Replacement), 1 Valve | S$18,000 – S$28,000 |
| Heart, Heart Block/Arrhythmia, Insertion Of Single Chamber Pacemaker (Permanent) | S$3,100 – S$5,600 |
| Heart, Heart Block/Arrhythmia, Insertion Of Dual Chamber Pacemaker (Permanent) | S$4,600 – S$7,300 |
| Heart, Replacement Of Pacemaker | S$2,200 – S$4,500 |
| Source: MOH List of Fee Benchmarks | |
Pacemaker
Cost of pacemaker in Singapore – around S$3,000 (basic unit) to S$15,000 (advanced model).
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This article is informative only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.