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A G U I D E F O R PAT I E N T S
Table of Contents
What Is Heart Failure? ...................................3
What Causes Heart Failure?...........................4
Testing for HF ................................................5
Signs & Symptoms of HF ..............................6
Take Charge of Your HF ................................7
Weigh Yourself Each Day ............................7
Limit Salt/Sodium .......................................8
Reading Food Labels....................................9
Limit Fluids................................................12
Lifestyle Changes .......................................14
Medication ................................................14
Exercise/Activity.........................................17
Other Treatment Options .............................18
Managing Your HF Using the Zones...........19
Important Contacts.......................................20
My Medicines ...............................................22
Right Atrium
Left Atrium
Left
Ventricle
Right Ventricle
Normal Heart
The heart has four chambers. The upper two chambers are the atria and the lower two are
the ventricles. These four chambers work together in powerful contractions or heartbeats
to pump blood through your body. Valves (little doors in the heart) keep the blood flowing
in the right direction.
3
Heart walls
may thicken
Heart
doesnt
pump well
Congenital Heart Disease: Heart defects that are present at birth, if not corrected, can
cause the heart to work harder, leading to heart failure.
Cardiomyopathy: Heart muscle damage is called cardiomyopathy. There are many
causes of it. These causes include infections, alcohol abuse and the toxic effect of drugs
such as cocaine. In addition, diseases including lupus and thyroid problems can damage
heart muscle.
Abnormal Heart Rhythms: Heart arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation can cause the
heart to beat too fast, creating extra work for your heart. Heartbeats that are too slow
may prevent your heart from getting blood out to the body and can also lead to HF.
Other Diseases: Chronic diseases such as diabetes, severe anemia, thyroid disorders and
lung disease (emphysema) can contribute to heart failure. Viruses can attack the heart.
Severe infections, allergic reactions, or blood clots in the lungs can contribute to HF.
Testing for HF
To diagnose your condition, your doctor will ask you about your medical history and
perform a physical examination. Many tests can be used to evaluate heart failure. Your
doctor may order several of these.
Blood Tests: Blood tests can show your doctor how well your kidney and thyroid
function. Your blood can also tell your doctor if you have diabetes and other diseases or
disorders that can affect the heart. A blood test to measure your brain natriuretic
peptide (BNP) can help in diagnosing HF.
Chest X-ray: X-ray images allow the doctor to see if there is fluid buildup in your lungs
or if the heart is enlarged.
Electrocardiogram (ECG): This test records the electrical activity of your heart. It can
reveal heart rhythm problems and damage to your heart from a heart attack.
Nuclear Stress Tests: A nuclear stress test measures blood flow to your heart at rest and
with activity.
Echocardiogram: The echo is an ultrasound image of your heart, used to check heart
structure and pumping function.
Multiple Gated Acquisition (MUGA) Scan: The MUGA scan produces a video image
of your beating heart. Your doctor will be able to see how well your heart pumps blood.
Ejection Fraction
Your ejection fraction is measured during an echo, nuclear stress test, or MUGA. It is an
important measurement of how well your heart is pumping. It is also used to determine
the type of HF you have and the treatment that will work best for you. A normal ejection
fraction is 55-60 percent, meaning that over half of the blood that fills the ventricle is
pumped out with each heart beat.
Tiredness
Shortness of breath
Coughing
Pulmonary edema
(excess fluid in lungs)
Pumping action of
heart grow weaker
Pleural efflusion
(excess fluid
around the lungs)
Swelling in abdomen
(ascites)
Swelling in ankles
and legs
Sodium
2. Limit salt/sodium
Fluid intake
Medication compliance
4. Lifestyle changes
Activity level
Weight
5. Medication
6. Regular visits with your doctor or nurse
7. Exercise/activity
How well you feel will directly depend on how well you follow your HF plan.
1. Weigh Yourself Each Day
This is one of the best ways to keep track of your HF. A sudden weight gain of 2 pounds
over night or 3 to 5 pounds in a week may be a sign that fluid is building up in your body
and your HF is getting worse.
Weigh yourself each morning, after you have urinated, but before breakfast.
Wear the same clothing.
Use the same scale. Scales should be placed on hard surface, not carpet.
Write your weight on a calendar.
Ask your doctor what you should do if you gain 2 pounds overnight or 3 to 5 pounds in
a week.
Maintain a healthy weight Extra pounds add more work for the heart.
DO YOU KNOW?
Call your doctor if you suddenly gain 2 pounds
overnight or 3 to 5 pounds in a week.
2. Limit Salt/Sodium
Eating food high in salt (also called sodium) can make your body retain
water. It increases your risk of heart failure, high blood pressure, kidney
disease and stroke. Always look at the amount of sodium in the product
and factor it into your total sodium for your meal. You should not have
more than 600 mg of sodium per meal and no more than 2,000 mg of
sodium per day.Thats about the same as 1 teaspoon of salt.
Your taste buds may need time to adjust to less salt. After a few weeks,
youll be amazed to discover some new flavors.
Ways to Decrease Salt/Sodium
Get rid of your salt shaker.
Cook without salt.
SALT
SUBSTITUTES
Always check with
your doctor before
salt substitutes
contain potassium
not recommended
have HF.
substitute. Many
Avoid bacon, sausage, country ham, hot dogs and processed lunchmeats (bologna, ham,
turkey, chicken).
Use freshly cooked chicken breast, turkey, roast beef and fish for sandwiches and salads.
Eat fresh or frozen foods. If you have to eat canned or processed foods, rinse them
before you cook or eat them.
Be aware that fast food is high in sodium/salt.
If you eat a food that is high in sodium, balance it by eating lower sodium foods.
Look at the ingredients list for different types of sodium that may be added, such as
monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), baking powder,
sodium nitrate, sodium benzoate, sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfate.
If you have heartburn or a headache, take medicines that do not have sodium
bicarbonate or sodium carbonate in them.
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Food Group
10
MEDIUM Sodium
100-400 mg/serving
HIGH Sodium
Over 400mg/serving
Sauces &
Condiments
Soy sauce,
teriyaki sauce
Grains
Vegetables
& Fruits
Canned vegetables,
frozen lima beans,
frozen peas,
tomatoes, vegetables
with seasoned sauces
Pickled vegetables,
olives, pickles,
sauerkraut, stewed
tomatoes
Beverages
Carbonated beverages,
coffee, tea, mineral waters
Milk, buttermilk
Fish, Poultry,
Meat &
Other Dishes
Fresh shellfish,
peanut butter
Milk Products
Milk, buttermilk,
salted butter, ice
cream, margarine,
custard, pudding
Breakfast
1 small orange
cup oatmeal
1 slice whole wheat toast
1 cup 1% milk
1 scrambled egg
1 teaspoon soft tub margarine
Lunch
1 cup low sodium bean soup
2 slices whole grain bread
cup tuna
Lettuce & tomato
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
Fresh apple, small
Lunch
Hamburger bun
2-3 oz. grilled chicken breast
Lettuce & tomato
Carrot sticks
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 small pear
Dinner
2-3 ounce chicken breast
cup lima beans
1/3 cup brown rice
cup steamed broccoli
2 teaspoons oil
cup pineapple
5 vanilla wafers
Dinner
2-3 ounce pork roast
1 small baked potato
1 whole wheat dinner roll
cup steamed green beans
1 tablespoon light margarine
cup light ice cream
Snack
6 whole grain crackers (unsalted)
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
Snack
1 cup light yogurt
1 cup strawberries
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3. Limit Fluids
Ask your doctor if you need to limit the amount of fluid that you drink. Some HF patients
need to limit the amount of fluid they drink to 1 - 2 quarts (6 8 cups or 1,500 2,000
ml) each day. A fluid is any food that is liquid at room temperature.
Coffee
Water
Tea
Flavored water
Fruit juice
Fruit drinks
Hot chocolate
Kool Aid
Liquid medicine
Milk
Nectar
Soft drinks
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Ounces
Cups
ML
2 Tbsp
30 ml
12 cup
120 ml
1 cup
240 ml
32
4 cups
(1 quart)
960 ml
48
6 cups
1,440 ml
64
8 cups
(2 quarts
or gallon)
1,920 ml
Stay on Track!
For at least a week, keep track of how much you drink.
Fill your favorite cup or glass with water. Pour that water
into a measuring cup to see how much the cup holds.
Using a 2-quart container or milk jug, pour 6 (or 8) cups
into the jug and stick a piece of masking tape at the water
line. Each time you drink something, pour the same
amount of water into the jug. When the fluid reaches the
tape line, you have had your fluids for the day.
Try to spread your fluid allowance evenly throughout the
day. Make sure you save enough fluid to take the
medicines you need late in the day.
If You Get Thirsty
Rinse your mouth with water. Spit it out dont swallow.
Add lemon juice to water or crushed ice.
Suck on lemon drops or tart hard candies. Use sugar-free candy or gum if you have
diabetes.
Suck on a lemon slice.
Put an ice cube in your mouth to melt or eat crushed ice. It takes longer to eat ice than
to drink water. You can count 12 cup of ice as just 1/4 cup of fluid.
Eat mandarin oranges, grapefruit sections or grapes.
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4. Lifestyle Changes
Stop Smoking: Smoking makes the heart work harder by increasing blood pressure,
heart rate and the force of each heartbeat. It can make HF worse. You should also avoid
second-hand smoke.
Limit or Avoid Alcohol: Excess alcohol damages heart muscle. Alcohol makes it harder
for the heart to work.
Stress: Stress increases your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder. It may
make your HF symptoms worse. The first step in controlling stress is to recognize it and
identify what causes it for you. It is not possible to get rid of all the stress in your life,
but you can take steps to reduce the amount of stress you feel.
5. Medication
Medication plays a key role in treating HF. Research has shown that people who take
medication as prescribed:
Live longer
Have fewer HF symptoms
Increase their activity level
Stay out of the hospital
Doctors usually treat HF with a combination of medications. You might take one or more
of these medications, depending on your symptoms:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors: ACE inhibitors are drugs that
widen blood vessels to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow and decrease the
workload on the heart.
Antiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs): These drugs have many of the same benefits
as ACE inhibitors and may be an alternative for people who cant tolerate them.
Beta Blockers: Slow your heart rate and lower blood pressure. These medicines also
reduce the risk of some abnormal heart rhythms. Beta blockers may reduce HF
symptoms and improve heart function.
Diuretics (Fluid or water pills): Help the kidneys rid the body of SALT (not fat) and
water. They make you urinate more often and help reduce swelling.
Aldosterone Inhibitors: Aldosterone is a hormone that causes your body to hold sodium
and water. These drugs act as diuretics and have other benefits in HF.
Vasoactive agents: These relax the walls of blood vessels and help lower blood pressure.
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Digoxin: Makes the heart pump more strongly and helps control irregular heartbeats.
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Help prevent abnormal heart rhythms.
Non-prescription (over-the-counter) Medicines
Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about ALL of the medicines you take. Many overthe-counter drugs, vitamins and herbal supplements can affect how well your prescription
medicines work.
Medications to Avoid
In particular, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of the medicines below:
Decongestants
Decongestants make the heart work harder.
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
Phenylpropanolamine
Many cold and flu products, including some antihistamines, contain decongestants. Ask
your pharmacist if the product you want to take is acceptable.
Pain Relievers
Some pain relievers can cause fluid retention and kidney problems. These interact with
many drugs.
Ibuprofen - Advil, Motrin
Naproxen - Aleve, Orudis
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any
drugs for increased stomach acid. These include:
Tagamet/Cimetidine
Zantac, Pepcid, Axid
NON-STERIORIADAL DRUGS
(NSAIDS Drugs that contain ibuprofen
or naproxen) Motrin, Aleve, Advil,
Daypro or Celebrex. If you take these
drugs for arthritis or other painful
conditions, talk to your doctor.
Safer Medications
Some over-the-counter medications are considered safer than others. Even though they
are, you still need to tell your doctor and pharmacist that you use these drugs. They
include:
Antihistamines
Chlor-Trimeton
Chlorpheniramine
Benadryl
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NON-HF
MEDICATIONS
TO AVOID
Certain over-thecounter drugs,
prescriptions for nonHF health conditions,
vitamins and herbal
remedies can interfere
with your HF
medications and
worsen your HF
symptoms. Always tell
your doctor about any
medications you plan
to take. In general, you
should avoid:
Non-steroidal drugs
(NSAIDS) Ibuprofen,
Naproxen, Ketaprofen
Heartburn/headache
medications containing
sodium bicarbonate or
sodium carbonate.
16
7. Exercise/Activity
Activity including exercise, work and sex is healthy and safe for
most people with HF. People who exercise regularly:
Have more energy
Cope more easily with stress/Feel less tense
Increase resistance to fatigue
Look better
Burn off extra calories to help lose pounds or stay at ideal weight
17
Implantable Devices
Pacemaker: These are primarily used to treat slow heart rates.
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD): ICDs are used to treat
dangerous, fast rhythms in the lower chambers of the heart, which are called
ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF).
Biventricular Pacemakers: In some HF patients, the lower chambers of the
heart beat in an uncoordinated way. Biventricular pacemakers coordinate this
beat.
Biventricular ICD: The biventricular ICD contains both a pacemaker to
coordinate the beating of the lower chambers of the heart and a defibrillator
to treat very fast rhythms, VT or VF.
If you have one of these devices, it is important that you continue to follow your
Heart Failure Action Plan.
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19
Important Contacts
These are the key people who are involved in your care. Remember,
if you have a medical emergency, always call 911 immediately for help.
The WakeMed Heart Failure Program
WakeMed Raleigh Campus
3000 New Bern Avenue
Raleigh, NC
919-350-5732
WakeMed Cary Hospital
1900 Kildaire Farm Road
Cary, NC
919-350-0875
Phone/Fax
My Cardiologist
Cardiologists Name
Address/City/State/Zip
Phone/Fax
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My Emergency Contacts
Primary Contact
Name
Relationship
Home Phone
Work Phone
Cell Phone
Secondary Contact
Name
Relationship
Home Phone
Work Phone
Cell Phone
21
My Medicines
Medicine Name
22
Dose
(How much to take)
Time to
take medicine
Reason for
medicine
My Medicines
Medicine Name
Dose
(How much to take)
Time to
take medicine
Reason for
medicine
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