Diet:  Eating healthy foods can make you feel better. In heart failure this is especially important since diet may help relieve your heart failure symptoms and keep your condition from getting worse.

One of the most important dietary recommendations for heart failure patients is a low-sodium or low-salt diet. Sodium is a mineral that your body uses in small amounts. However, an excess of sodium causes your body to retain water and makes the heart work harder to pump blood. People with heart failure are especially sensitive to sodium and respond by retaining more water, producing worsening symptoms. 

You will also need to remove excess fat and cholesterol from your diet.  Visit www.failureisnotanoption.net for helpful charts that will help you make healthy food choices.

Exercise: As a person with heart failure, strengthening your heart is your top priority. This is where exercise comes in. Exercise strengthens muscles, including your heart. Walking is the best and first option for exercise in heart failure and can increase your energy level. However, it is important to contact your healthcare providerbefore beginning any exercise program. You must be careful not to overdo it.  Visit www.failureisnotanoption.net for important exercise information.

Lifestyle Changes: In addition to diet and exercise, there are several lifestyle changes that can help keep you healthy. Monitoring your weight and other signs and symptoms of heart failure can alert you to the early warning signs of a worsening condition. Stop smoking as this is the most important lifestyle change you can make. Reducing stress and limiting or eliminating alcohol will also help you maintain or improve health.

Medications:  Medications are essential to the management of heart failure and to prevent the condition from getting worse. While heart failure treatments vary from one patient to another depending on the cause of the condition and its severity, everyone with heart failure should receive the following therapies, unless contraindicated:

• ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers
• Beta blockers

Other possible treatment options include:

• Diuretics
• Aldosterone inhibitors
• Vasoactive agents
• Digoxin
• Implantable cardiac devices such as special pacemakers and/or defibrillators

Only your healthcare provider can determine what treatments are right for you.

Consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to manage your heart failure.

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