Living with heart failure requires careful monitoring as well as some major lifestyle changes.
It takes both medical treatment and self-care.
Heart failure can lead to kidney or liver damage, irregular heartbeat, and sudden cardiac arrest.
The terms"heart failure"and “congestive heart failure” are often used interchangeably.
Understanding your diagnosis can help you manage it in the best possible way.
This causes blood to pool on the right side of the heart.
Biventricular heart failureinvolves both the right and left sides of the heart.
You may need to take these once a day or more often.
Taking them at the right time and exactly as prescribed is important.
Skipping doses or stopping can lead to problems.
Consult a healthcare provider before changing your medication or taking new medicines for your heart or other conditions.
This includes over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and dietary supplements.
Log Your Health at Home
Keep a journal or app to track your health between healthcare provider visits.
Get Regular Checkups
Regular checkups can help keep you on track.
They can help catch problems early so you’ve got the option to adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
This may not be necessary in early-stage heart failure.
That’s why it’s important to discuss fluid intake with your healthcare provider.
Water is ideal for hydration, and avoiding sports drinks is best unless your provider recommends them.
Feeling thirsty is normal when restricting fluids.
Limit Salt in Your Diet
Everyone needssaltto support vital body functions and control the balance of fluids.
But too much sodium increases blood volume, which can raiseblood pressureand cause the heart to work harder.
Salt also causes you toretain more water, which can lead to bloating.
If you’re sensitive to salt, it can affect blood pressure even more.
you could also restrict use of the salt shaker during food prep.
There’s also concern that restricting sodium too much can lead to poorer nutrition and poor outcomes.
It’s best to get a personalized recommendation regardingsodium intakefrom your cardiologist (heart specialist) or other provider.
Stay Active
Heart failure symptoms such as tiredness and shortness of breath can make you cautious about physical activity.
From there, you might build up gradually while being careful not to overdo it.
Whether you should have sex depends on the severity of your heart failure, along with your symptoms.
Your provider can tell you whether it’s safe for you or not.
If you consistently wake up tired or suspect you have a sleep disorder, speak with a healthcare provider.
Asleep evaluationcan help determine what’s going on.
In the meantime, here are sometips for getting quality sleep:
9.
Know When to Call Your Healthcare Provider
Know the signs thatheart failure is getting worse.
Enlist help whenever possible.
Take time to care for yourself and avoidcaregiver burnout.
Summary
Heart failure is a chronic condition that requires medical treatment.
Lifestyle adjustments and self-care are also crucial to quality of life.
Taking steps like limiting salt, getting quality sleep, and staying active can help manage heart failure.
It’s also important to keep up with medical appointments and monitor your health between visits.
Self-care tips vary according to the throw in and stage of heart failure.
Your cardiologist can make recommendations based on your diagnosis and overall health.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is heart failure?
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Heart failure.
Mount Sinai.Types of heart failure.
Mount Sinai.Heart failure medicines.
British Heart Foundation.Heart matters.
University of Maryland Medical System.Staying hydrated when you have heart failure.
American Heart Association.Get the scoop on sodium and salt.
American Heart Association.Lifestyle changes for heart failure.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart failure treatment.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Five ways to sleep well and protect your heart.
2021;27(11):1260-1275. doi:10.1016/j.cardfail.2021.05.023
National Library of Medicine.
MedlinePlus.Heart failure home monitoring.
