Managing Heart Failure
Along with seeing your doctor regularly and taking your medications as prescribed, some lifestyle factors are very important to help you in managing heart failure, living life to its fullest and remaining out of hospital.
Ways of managing heart failure include:
Restrict your salt intake
Salt causes the body to retain fluid. This means that it is very important not to add salt to your food at the table or during cooking, and to eat low salt foods.
Monitor your weight
You need to weigh yourself every day. Try to weigh yourself at the same time each morning. In this way it will become part of your daily routine. Your doctor may also recommend that you restrict your fluid intake. Typically this could be from 1 to 1.5 litres per day. If you are overweight, losing weight will lower the workload of your heart and may help you to become more active. Ask your doctor or dietitian for help.
Limit your alcohol intake
Alcohol can damage your heart and you should discuss this with your doctor. You may be asked to stop or reduce your drinking. It is very important not to drink more than 1 to 2 standard drinks of alcohol per day. If your heart failure has been caused by alcohol you should stop drinking altogether.
Quit smoking
Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood, and damages the walls of the arteries. Stopping smoking is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of further heart disease. For information on and support with quitting smoking contact your doctor or call the QUITLINE on 131 848 (24 hours).
Physical activity
Regular light to moderate physical activity, such as walking, exercise bicycling, lifting light weights and stretching is important. Try to be active every day. Talk to your doctor about the type and level that is suitable for you. Do what you can without getting breathless or over tired - you should be able to talk easily doing physical activity. Avoid strenuous activities unless your doctor has approved them.
Diabetes
If you have diabetes, it is also important that you keep your blood glucose levels in the normal (non-diabetic) range. Regular diabetes reviews with your doctor can help you achieve this.
Cardiac rehabilitation
A cardiac rehabilitation program can help you learn more about your condition, how to manage it and reduce any further risk. The Heart Foundation (and the World Health Organization) recommend that everyone with heart disease, including heart failure, should be referred to an appropriate cardiac rehabilitation program.
