How to Cope With Chronic Heart Failure

Chronic heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is a condition in which your heart does not pump blood efficiently and causes it to pool in certain areas of the body like the liver, lungs or legs. It can affect your breathing, the health of your other organs and cause fatigue, weakness and fluid retention among other symptoms. Unfortunately, you cannot cure this condition but you can successfully manage it with medications, self-care measures and lifestyle modifications.

Things You'll Need

• Medication
• Heart-healthy diet
• Natural supplements
• Scale

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Instructions

• 1

  Talk to your doctor about medications available to treat heart failure. Depending on your circumstances, you may need a combination of medications that aims to reduce blood pressure, improve the strength of your heartbeat, increase blood flow and reduce stress on the heart and fluid buildup. Take all medications as directed and do not alter your dosages without talking to your doctor first.

• 2

  Eat a heart-healthy diet that is low in sodium (2,000 mg or less daily), saturated fat and cholesterol. You can accomplish this by eating more fresh, unprocessed foods rather than packaged and prepared foods, which tend to have more salt. Cut back on meats and aim for healthier protein sources like beans, whole grains and whole soy foods like soybeans, soy milk, tofu and tempeh.

• 3

  Exercise regularly at a level appropriate for your condition. Vigorous exercise is not appropriate if you have heart failure. Moderate exercise, however, is beneficial as it improves the general health of your body, lessening the demand on your heart muscle. Do not start an exercise program without talking to your doctor first; he will recommend a regimen appropriate for your condition.

• 4

  Find ways to reduce and manage stress. It increases your heart rate, which requires your heart to work harder. Experiment with activities that can ease tension. Some to consider include yoga, tai chi, deep breathing, positive visualization, progressive relaxation and meditation. Find activities you enjoy and commit to doing them on a regular basis.

• 5

  Find out if any nearby hospitals offer a cardiac rehabilitation program. You will work with people who can help you improve your heart health and also learn more about your condition and how to manage it.

• 6

  Abstain from alcohol. It weakens the heart muscle and can cause abnormal heart rhythms. It also interacts with many medications used to treat this condition.

• 7

  Consider using natural supplements that can benefit your condition. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests the following supplements might be useful for congestive heart failure (Do not use natural supplements without talking to your doctor first):

  Magnesium encourages a normal heart rhythm; talk to your doctor about an appropriate dosage. Carnitine (500 mg twice a day) can improve endurance in people with heart failure. Coenzyme Q10 (200 mg daily) can ease swelling in the legs, reduce fluid in the lungs and increase exercise capacity.

  The amino acids arginine and taurine help with blood flow and improve heart muscle contraction; ask your doctor about appropriate dosages. The herb hawthorn helps blood pump more efficiently and improves many symptoms of heart failure like fatigue and trouble breathing; talk to your doctor about an appropriate dosage. Berberine dilates the blood vessels, which improves blood flow; take 300 to 500 mg daily.

• 8

  Quit smoking. It damages blood vessels, makes your heart work harder and lowers the oxygen content of your blood.

• 9

  Weigh yourself every day after you use the bathroom and before you eat breakfast. Tell your doctor if your weight has increased by 3 lbs. or more since your last weigh-in. This might indicate you are retaining too much fluid, which will require an adjustment in your treatment regimen. Record your weight every day.