Prompt: Heart Failure Patient Education Letter

Heart Failure Patient Education Letter

Use this prompt to draft an education letter for a patient who has just been diagnosed with heart failure, or for a patient who needs reinforcement of self-management principles at a follow-up appointment.

Draft a patient education letter about heart failure for a patient aged 
[[patient_age — e.g. "68"]] who has [[context — e.g. "just been diagnosed 
with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction following an MI" or 
"been living with heart failure for two years and needs reinforcement 
of self-management"]].

Cover:
- What heart failure means in plain English (explain that the heart is 
  working less efficiently, not that it is "failing" or "stopping")
- Why daily weight monitoring matters and what to do if weight increases 
  suddenly
- Fluid and salt management — general principles
- The importance of taking all prescribed medications consistently
- Symptoms that need prompt medical attention: worsening breathlessness, 
  rapid weight gain, ankle swelling, dizziness
- Who to contact and when

Do not include specific drug names or doses. 
Tone: calm, clear, and respectful. Maximum 400 words.

Why this works

The instruction to avoid "failing" or "stopping" language directly prevents one of the most common communication errors in heart failure — using the name of the condition in a way that implies imminent death. The daily weight monitoring section answers the question patients most commonly ask after discharge and is the single most important self-management behaviour to reinforce.

How to tweak it

• To produce a version for a patient with low health literacy, add: "Use the simplest possible language. Short sentences. No medical terms unless you explain them immediately."
• To add information about heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) specifically, add: "Note that this patient's heart failure is of the type where the heart pumps normally but fills less efficiently — this affects the explanation of what is happening."

Remember: AI is a helpful assistant, not a clinician. You make the call.