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Managing your heart failure
New medications and new technologies can help people with heart failure live longer and enjoy life more.
But one fact remains: Daily habits play a big role in managing heart failure.
Heart failure is a complex condition where the heart is not able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. It can result from several conditions including blocked arteries, chronic high blood pressure, viruses or even toxins. This failure to pump enough blood throughout the body leads to symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling. Heart failure affects people of all ages, but its incidence doubles for each decade of life after age 40. And among people 65 and older, it results in more hospital stays than any other cause.
Because heart failure is complex, Mercy’s heart failure program brings together a team of experts to work with patients. They include program director Dr. Ron Oren, pharmacists, dietitians and family counselors. As part of this team, specialized nurses Bruce Anderson, Carla Pies, Becky Crane and Amy Becker play a critical role. They provide individual support and education to patients and families. They help identify factors that impact daily management of heart failure. They coach and reinforce. They provide a link to other resources.
"Our goal is to help people manage their symptoms as an outpatient, or to help them have a shorter hospital stay if they must be admitted,” says Pies. “A lot of research shows that heart failure management helps improve the patient’s symptoms and quality of life.”
Basics of managing one’s heart failure include:
- Learning about the condition and its symptoms
- Often limiting fluids and understanding the thirst response
- Paying close attention to diet, especially sodium intake
- Monitoring one’s weight daily
- Taking the prescribed medications
- Getting the right amount of activity and exercise
- Making lifestyle changes—like avoiding alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs
"The more that patients and their families understand, the better they can manage heart failure,” says Pies. Support and reinforcement come at every physician office visit and through frequent phone calls with the nurses.
Heart failure symptoms can be vague, especially in older adults. “People often attribute their symptoms to aging or other illnesses,” says Pies. “Symptoms can include being more anxious or irritable, stomach problems like bloating and decreased appetite. But when we have a regular relationship with a patient, we can usually tell when something is wrong. We encourage people to call us about anything at all.”
If you suspect that a loved one is living with heart failure or you need help yourself, talk to your family doctor about Mercy’s heart failure program or call Mercy On Call at 358-2767.
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