Heart Failure

Treating Heart Failure

Heart failure is generally not curable, but it can be treated effectively and most people will feel better once therapy is started. Treatment of heart failure consists of:

Improving symptoms
Improving the function of your heart
Medication management
Risk reduction

Therapy is aimed at helping the heart to work more efficiently and with less effort. A combination of medication, diet, and exercise is an effective course of treatment. Sometimes a special type of pacemaker can also help.

Correcting problems such as high blood pressure, blocked arteries, and diseased valves will help. Stopping drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes may help to stop the progression of the disease. In addition to these things, there are several ways that you can take an active role in your health. It is important that you feel comfortable enough with your health care team to discuss any questions or concerns that you may have.

Some general recommendations include:

Weigh yourself every day
Record your daily weight on a calendar or in a log book
Report a weight gain of more than 3-5 pounds over 3-5 days to your healthcare provider
Follow a low sodium diet
Follow an exercise plan that has been approved by your healthcare provider
Take your medications as prescribed and report any side effects
Monitor your symptoms and report any changes
Keep all medical appointments and call if you need to reschedule
Stop smoking
Eat well-balanced meals with fruit and vegetables
Avoid a high fat diet
Get plenty of sleep
Limit your alcohol intake or avoid alcohol
Do not use illegal drugs
Get a yearly influenza vaccine.
Ask your doctor about the pneumococcal vaccine (to guard against the most common form of bacterial pneumonia).
As much as possible, avoid anyone who has a cold or the flu.
Stay out of crowds during the height of the flu season.
If you are around someone who has a cold or flu, be sure to wash your hands.

Never hesitate to notify your health care team if you are unclear on some aspect of your health care plan or feel that something just isn't quite right with how you feel. Your health care team would always rather hear from you if something were wrong, rather than having you end up in the hospital.

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Last Reviewed: Feb 11, 2009

Ileana L Piña, MD
Professor, VA Quality Scholar
Louis Stokes VA Medical Center
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University