January 4, 2026

How to Counsel a Patient on Heart Failure | OSCE Talk

In this episode of OSCE Talk, we walk through how to counsel a patient diagnosed with heart failure, a common and high-yield OSCE and clinical scenario.Using a realistic doctor–patient role-play, we cover:How to explain heart failure in clear, patient-friendly languageLinking symptoms such as breathlessness, orthopnoea, and oedema to the underlying conditionCommon causes of heart failure, including myocardial infarctionLifestyle advice, including fluid restriction, salt intake, smoking, and alcoholAn overview of management, including medications, diuretics, and specialist follow-upAddressing patient concerns, prognosis, and safety-nettingThis episode is designed to help medical students and junior doctors feel confident counselling patients with heart failure in both OSCEs and real clinical practice.

Also available on Apple Podcasts ↗