Many people hear the term Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and are confused with what happens to lead to this common condition and how we can treat it. The following is a brief overview of the condition and how to manage it.
The heart is a muscle like the muscles in your arms and legs. It can enlarge with extra work just like your muscles do when you lift weights. However, your heart muscle is a pump, and when it has worked hard to keep the blood circulating against resistance in your blood vessels, it becomes enlarged. It becomes so enlarged that it cannot pump efficiently anymore and congestive heart failure results.
CHF can be a problem for either side of your heart. The right side of your heart is where the blood comes as it returns from your body. If the pump is not working properly, the blood backs up in the blood vessels returning to your heart, and you get swelling in your legs and lower body. If the left side of the heart is not working properly, the blood backs up into your lungs causing congestion, swelling and difficulty breathing.
Regardless of whether the right or the left side of the heart is affected, the primary issue is that the heart as a pump is no longer able to manage the blood flowing through it and back up occurs. There are some common sense things to do at home in addition to taking medication which your healthcare provider may prescribe. The medications that are used for CHF help the heart pump more efficiently or diminish the amount of fluid in the bloodstream with a water pill or diuretic.
1. Limit salt intake
Salt draws water and helps the body retain fluids which can over-tax the weakened heart. Read all labels to look for low or no salt alternatives. Stay away from obviously salty foods like chips and salty snacks.
2. Take your medications
The medications for CHF will not cure your condition, but they will help your heart be more efficient and prevent crisis when your heart is overcome with fluids and cannot pump adequately to handle this fluid load.
3. Weigh yourself every day
Weigh on the same scale and at about the same time every day. If you gained 3 pounds in the last 24 hours or 5 pounds or more in a week, contact your doctor immediately. You may be retaining fluids and overworking your heart which could lead to hospitalization.
4. Lose weight
Fat tissue is living tissue and requires nutrition just like your other tissues of your body require. The extra weight also taxes your heart because it has to beat harder to supply all of the fat tissue with blood. An exercise program prescribed by your doctor will help you lose weight and also decrease the amount of work your heart has to do.
5. Stop smoking
Nicotine is a chemical, and it has a direct impact on the function of the heart and blood vessels. It also increases hardening of the arteries which puts extra stress on the heart as it attempts to pump against the narrowed blood vessels.
Congestive heart failure is a serious condition. It requires personal vigilance and treatment by a healthcare provider. It is one of the leading causes of death and disability in this country. You can live with CHF, but it requires managing your heart with tender loving care.