‘Heart Failure: From Advanced Disease to Bereavement’, by Miriam Johnson, Karen Hogg and James Beattie

This book is one of the series of Oxford Specialist handbooks aimed at trainees, consultants, specialist nurses and allied health professionals in cardiology and palliative care. Its authors are well known in the fields of cardiology and palliative care, and the book aims to be a pocket reference for everyday use for those managing people with advanced heart failure. It therefore contains practical advice on how to manage patients in this situation, not only from the point of view of symptoms, but also gives guidance on integrating a palliative care approach alongside standard heart failure management, and addresses issues of communication, end-of-life care and bereavement support.

The authors use case studies to illustrate key points. One of the main themes of the book is the recognition of the barriers to accessing good supportive and …