Scribd
Upload
1 views

how-can-i-live-with-heart-failure

Approximately 6.7 million Americans live with heart failure, a chronic condition that can be managed with proper medical care and lifestyle changes. Key management strategies include adhering to a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, monitoring vital signs, and taking prescribed medications. Cardiac rehabilitation can also play a significant role in improving quality of life for those affected by heart failure.

Uploaded by

Lana Naila Amerie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
1 views

how-can-i-live-with-heart-failure

Approximately 6.7 million Americans live with heart failure, a chronic condition that can be managed with proper medical care and lifestyle changes. Key management strategies include adhering to a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, monitoring vital signs, and taking prescribed medications. Cardiac rehabilitation can also play a significant role in improving quality of life for those affected by heart failure.

Uploaded by

Lana Naila Amerie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

ANSWERS Cardiovascular Conditions

by heart

How Can I Live With


Heart Failure?
About 6.7 million Americans are currently living
with heart failure. In fact, it’s one of the most
common reasons people 65 and older go into
the hospital.

Heart failure is a long-term (chronic) condition,


but it can be treated. Getting good medical care
and following your treatment plan will help you
have the best quality of life.

You can help by taking your medications as


prescribed and following your eating and
exercise plans.
Following your health care professional’s advice and taking your medications
as directed are important steps to managing your heart failure.

What lifestyle changes will I need to make? • Get regular, moderate-intensity physical activity. Talk
to your health care professional about an exercise plan
It’s important to monitor your symptoms and make lifestyle
that will work for you.
changes to help you manage your heart failure.

You’ll need to: What medication might I take?


• Follow a heart-healthy diet that’s low in saturated fat, The goal of heart failure treatment is to help you live a
sodium and added sugars and avoid trans fats. longer, better-quality life. Treating the causes of heart
• Limit your fluid intake. failure with medication can lessen tiredness (fatigue),
• Monitor your blood pressure and know your numbers. Your shortness of breath and swelling. It also helps improve
health care professional will recommend the blood pressure your energy level so you can be physically active.
level and treatment plan for you. Some examples of medications that may be prescribed
• Monitor your heart rate. include:
• Monitor your weight daily and watch for sudden weight 1. ACEi (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) and
gain. ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) lower blood
• Manage anemia and iron deficiency if you have been pressure and relax blood vessels so that the heart can
diagnosed with it. easily pump blood to the body.
• Take steps to improve the quality of your sleep by: 2. ARNIs (angiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitors)
– Raising the head of the bed or using a wedge to sleep at an improve artery opening and blood flow, reduce
incline. sodium (salt) retention and decrease strain on the
– Treating sleep apnea by using a continuous positive airway
heart.
pressure (CPAP) machine. 3. Beta-blockers may lower blood pressure, slow the
– Changing the time you take your diuretics to reduce heart rate and make it easier for the heart to pump
bathroom trips during the night. blood.
(continued)
How Can I Live With Heart Failure?

4. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) are failure. Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program
a type of diuretic that helps eliminate extra salt and that includes exercise training, education on heart-healthy
fluid. living and often counseling to reduce stress. For many
people with heart failure, cardiac rehab plays a critical
5. SGLTi (sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors) are role in improving the quality and length of life.
diabetes medications that lower blood sugar but also
treat heart failure in patients with or without diabetes.

6. Digoxin slows down the heart rate and may make the
What should I watch out for?
heart squeeze harder. Call your health care professional right away if you:

7. Diuretics help your body get rid of extra water and • Gain 3 or more pounds in a day
sodium to reduce the buildup of fluid in the lungs, • See swelling in your feet, ankles or other parts of your
ankles, legs and abdomen. body
8. Ivabradine (pacemaker channel inhibitor) slows down • Are having a hard time breathing
the heart rate, similar to beta blockers. • Can’t do what you could do the day before
9. Hydralazine (with or without nitrate) relaxes and • Get a fever
widens blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and makes • Have chest pain
it easier for the heart to pump blood.

10. Vericiguat relaxes and widens blood vessels, lowers Other ways to tell that your heart might not be working
blood pressure and makes it easier for the heart to the way it should include:
pump blood.
• Coughing up pinkish, blood-tinged mucus
What else can I do? • Confusion, difficulty thinking, dizziness or
lightheadedness
Cardiac rehabilitation can be an important step in the
journey to recovery and wellness for people with heart • Changes in your eating habits or appetite

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE? Do you have MY QUEST ION S:


questions for the
Call 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721)
or visit heart.org to learn more about doctor or nurse?
heart disease and stroke. Take a few minutes to
write down questions
Sign up for our monthly Heart Insight for the next time you
e-news for heart patients and their see your health care
families at HeartInsight.org. professional.
Connect with others sharing similar For example:
journeys with heart disease and stroke
How can my family
by joining our Support Network at
help me?
heart.org/SupportNetwork.
What types of physical
activity should I do?

We have many other fact sheets to help you make healthier choices to reduce your risk for heart disease,
manage your condition or care for a loved one. Visit heart.org/AnswersByHeart to learn more.

© Copyright 2024 American Heart Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited. WF628100 8/24

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy