並列摘要
As elderly population is increasing and medical therapies improve life expectancy, growing numbers of heart failure patients live with their disease, and many of them have terminal heart failure. Unlike cancer patients, which are characterized by a linear decline in performance status during the last few months of life, heart failure patients are characterized by unpredictable decompensations and improvements. Heart failure patients have a subtle decline in performance status, which makes it difficult for doctors to recognize the appropriate time to refer a patient to hospice palliative care. Because terminal heart failure patients suffered tremendous physical, psychological and spiritual burdens and palliative care can improve the life quality of heart failure patients, it is essential to integrate palliative care into the treatment plan.