When you are managing heart failure, use this information to know when to call your doctor or get help.
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Your heart failure is in good control if you have: - No shortness of breath.
- No swelling.
- No weight gain.
- No chest pain.
- No problem keeping up your activity level.
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Green Zone means: - Your symptoms are under control.
- Keep taking your medicines as directed.
- Keep checking your weight every day.
- Continue to follow a 2- gram sodium-restricted diet.
- Go to all your doctor's appointments.
- It is safe to do physical activity.
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- You gain 2 lb. (1 kg) or more overnight, 4 lb.
(2 kg) in 2 days, or more than 5 lb. (3 kg) in 1 week.
- You are coughing more.
- You have more swelling in your feet, ankles, legs, or tummy.
- You feel more short of breath with activity.
- You find it hard to breathe when lying flat.
- You find it easier to sleep by adding pillows or sitting up in a chair.
- You feel more tired and don’t have the energy to keep up with your usual daily activities.
- You have chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, or have fallen.
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Yellow Zone means: - You may need to adjust your medicines based on your symptoms.
- Take diuretic medicine as directed.
- If your symptoms or weight do not improve with extra diuretic medicine, call one of the following:
Doctor:
Community care nurse:
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- You are struggling to breathe.
- Your shortness of breath does not go away while sitting still.
- You have chest pain that does not go away with rest or with medicine.
- You have trouble thinking clearly or are feeling confused.
- You have a fast heartbeat that does not slow down when you rest.
- You have fainted or lost consciousness.
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Red Zone means: - Go to your nearest emergency department or call
911 right away.
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Sodium
Sodium, also called salt, is like a sponge. It keeps extra fluid in your body. Your heart has to work harder to pump this extra fluid.
You are strongly encouraged to have no more than 2,000 mg of sodium each day (1 teaspoon is about 2,300 mg or 2.3 g of sodium).
Watch for high-sodium foods. See
Nutrition and Lifestyle Choices to Manage Heart Failure to learn more.
Tips to have less sodium:
- Do not use salt when cooking.
- Take the salt shaker off the table.
- To season food, use herbs and spices instead of salt.
- Read food labels. Look for the words salt, sodium, Na, NaCl. If these words are listed in the first 5 ingredients, it means there’s a lot of salt in the food.
- If the label reads less than 200 mg of sodium per serving, it’s a good choice for you.
- Avoid foods that have a lot of salt. For example:
- lunch meats
- cheese
- canned foods like soups and tomatoes
- bacon
- salted nuts, crackers, and party snacks
- barbecue sauce, packaged salad dressings, ketchup, soya sauce
- convenience foods like frozen dinners
- pickles
- Ask your healthcare provider if you can use salt substitutes made with potassium. These are not good for everyone.
Weight monitoring
Sudden weight gain can be an early sign of fluid buildup. Watch for a weight gain of:
- 2 lb. (1 kg) or more overnight
- 4 lb. (2 kg) in 2 days
- 5 lb. (3 kg) or more in 1 week
Call your family doctor or nurse if you gain weight suddenly. They may recommend you take extra diuretics (water pills) as directed.
Weigh yourself every morning and remember to:
- Empty your bladder (go pee) first.
- Weigh yourself before breakfast.
- Wear the same amount of clothing every time you weigh yourself.
- Make a
note of your weight.
Physical activity
Walk 3 to 5 days a week or continue with the physical activity you already do if your healthcare provider says it is OK for you.
A good goal is 150 minutes of physical activity per week. For example, walking for 30 minutes per day, 5 times per week.
You can add a little more activity every 2 weeks until you reach your goal:
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Week 1 and 2 | 5 to 10 min, 5 times per week |
| Week 3 and 4 | 10 to 15 min, 5 times per week |
| Week 5 and 6 | 15 to 20 min, 5 times per week |
| Week 7 and 8 | 20 to 30 min, 5 times per week |
Here are tips for when you start doing more physical activity:
- Start slowly. Gradually add more activity.
- Rest if you are extra tired or sick.
- Be active throughout your day.
- Plan ahead to make time for activity.
- Walk with a friend to make being active more fun.
- Use the "talk test" to pace yourself. If you can talk comfortably while doing the activity, you're doing it at the right level. You should feel recovered 10 to 15 minutes after the activity.
- Take time to rest during the day.
- Set priorities.
- Remember that activity doesn't need to be hard and you don't have to do it all at once. You can do 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon.
- Stop if you become very short of breath, have chest pain, or feel very tired.
- Do physical activity before meals or 90 minutes after meals.
Monitoring
Notice how you feel and monitor yourself for any signs of heart failure, such as:
- having more shortness of breath with activity, at rest, or when lying down
- waking at night with shortness of breath
- bloating of your tummy
- cough
- heart racing or pounding
- swelling of your feet or ankles
- feeling less hungry than usual
- fatigue (feeling very tired)
- weakness
- weight gain
Medicines
You will be on several medicines to help with your treatment. For your medicines to work best, you need to take the right doses. To find the right doses, your healthcare provider will likely change your doses often.
Medicine changes will only happen if you’re stable enough to do so. This is a positive step.
Do not skip your medicine unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
You will be taking medicine that might make you feel light-headed for a little while, especially when you change positions.
Call your doctor or nurse right away if you:
- lose your balance or feel light-headed
Go to your nearest emergency department or call
911 right away if you:
- see black dots or see total blackness
- faint or lose consciousness
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Some medicines—prescription and non-prescription—cause your body to hold fluid. They are
not recommended for people with heart failure.
Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before you take any of these medicines:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (Ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Celebrex, Indocid)
- antacids and laxatives (Maalox, ex-lax)
- some diabetes medicines (Avandia, Actos)
Avoid cough medicines that contain pseudoephedrine or ephedrine. These ingredients can raise your blood pressure and cause your body to hold fluid.
Some herbal remedies can cause problems with your treatment. Let your doctor or nurse know if you’re taking any herbal therapies.
Mental well-being
Living with long-term illness can be difficult. It can cause changes in your mood, work, relationships, and finances. Talk with your healthcare provider to find out what types of support are available to you.
Sexual well-being
Sometimes long-term illness and fatigue can change how you feel about sex and intimacy. There are physical reasons why your body changes in response to intimacy.
These changes may cause you and your partner to feel stressed or uneasy.
There are things you can try that do help. Talk about your sexual well-being with your healthcare provider.
For 24/7 nurse advice and general health information call Health Link at 811.
