Steps to Keep You Out of the Hospital with Heart Failure
Most patients with heart failure (HF) respond well to medications and lifestyle changes to keep them feeling well and out of the hospital. Below you’ll find five things you can do right away to help you feel better and lessen the chance of having to call the doctor or be admitted. In addition to the five tips below, avoid smoking and limit alcohol.
At any time, you should notify your medical team right away if your HF symptoms worsen. Reporting your symptoms early helps your health care providers help you.
Heart Failure Steps to Keep You Out of the Hospital
- Weigh yourself every day.
- Take your medicines as directed.
- Reduce the amount of salt (sodium) in your diet.
- Restrict fluids as instructed.
- Stay active.
Weigh Yourself Every Day
- Weigh yourself at the same time each morning (after you go to the bathroom and before breakfast).
- Keep a daily log of your weight.
- Bring your weight chart with you when you visit the doctor.
- Ask your doctor what your “target” weight is. Your target weight is your weight without extra fluid.
Remember, weight gain or swelling is a sign that fluid may be building up in your body. Please call the doctor if you:
- Gain three pounds overnight or five pounds in a week. You may need to have your dose of water pills or diuretics increased.
- Lose three pounds overnight or five pounds in one week. You may need to decrease the dose of water pills or diuretics.
Take Your Medications
Medications for heart failure help your heart pump better and help you live longer. Medications can also help you feel better and breathe easier, which can help you stay out of the hospital. Often, patients with heart failure require multiple medications to obtain the best results.
Expect your provider to increase the dosages after you start them, even if you’re feeling better. Studies show that some medications work best at higher (or target) dosages. The specific medications you’re prescribed will depend on which type of heart failure you have.
Tips for taking your medications:
- Take your medications at the same time every day.
- Use a pillbox marked with each day of the week and the time of day you take your medicines. This is the easiest way to remember to take your pills every day.
- Don’t stop taking your medications. If you have side effects, talk to your doctor or nurse right away.
- If you’re having trouble paying for your medicines, discuss this with your doctor or nurse. There may be alternatives.
- Always keep an updated medication list with you.
How do your medications help you?
Limit Your Salt Intake
Decrease the amount of salt you eat when you have heart failure. Sodium can act like a sponge and make your body hold on to extra fluid. The extra fluid makes your heart work harder and can cause weight gain and shortness of breath.
A low-sodium diet means consuming 2,000 mg or less of sodium per day. Keep in mind, if you have kidney problems, it’s even more important to monitor your salt and fluid intake.
Examples of high sodium foods include fast food, Chinese food, tacos, frozen meals, cheese, canned beans, cereals, sauces and dressings.
These guidelines will help you follow a low-sodium diet:
- Take the saltshaker off the table.
- Don’t add salt to your foods when cooking or at the table.
- Avoid seasoned salts (e.g., onion salt, celery salt, sea salt, garlic salt).
- Avoid eating canned, processed or frozen foods.
- Learn to read food labels to make good choices. If an item has 240 mg or more of sodium per serving, you should avoid it.
NO SODIUM LOW SODIUM HIGH SODIUM
Less than 5 mg* Less than 100 mg* 300 mg or more*
*In one serving
Control Fluid Intake
Drinking too much fluid can cause it to build up in your body. Your doctor may recommend limiting how much you drink each day. The general recommendation for heart failure patients is to limit fluid intake to two liters or 64 ounces per day.
Track how much fluid you drink.
One way to keep track of your fluid intake is to pour water into a pitcher that equals your daily fluid allowance. Every time you take a drink, pour the same amount of water out of your pitcher. This includes fluid you drink with your medicine. You will always know how much fluid you have for the rest of the day. Follow these tips to help limit fluids:
- Avoid salty foods, so you will be less thirsty.
- Use sour candies or gum, if allowed on your diet.
Stay Active
Be as active as possible. Research has shown that exercise is beneficial to people with heart failure.
- When you are inactive, your body loses its muscle strength.
- Exercise can help with muscle tone, reduce stress, control your weight and improve your energy.
- Exercise strengthens your muscles, improves blood flow and can prevent your heart failure from worsening.
The best exercises are walking, swimming, biking, water aerobics and low-impact aerobics. Here are some exercise tips:
- Exercise after a rest period, not when you’re already tired.
- In hot or humid weather, exercise when it’s cooler – in the morning or evening.
- Try exercising with a friend or family member to help you keep motivated.
- Set goals! Start with 10 minutes a day. Gradually increase your sessions by several minutes per day every week.
- Consider enrolling in an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program.
Stop exercising if you notice:
- A fast heart rate
- An irregular heart rate
- Weakness
- Chest pain or pressure
- Unusual shortness of breath
