Heart failure: Avoiding triggers for sudden heart failure
How can I avoid triggers for sudden heart failure?
Watch for signs of sudden heart failure.
- Track your symptoms. As you live with your heart condition, become familiar with changes in how you feel, and let your doctor know if your heart condition is getting worse. Keeping a record of your symptoms
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- Weigh yourself every day before breakfast. An increase of 2 lb (0.91 kg) to 3 lb (1.36 kg) or more in 1 or 2 days could signal the beginning of sudden heart failure.
- Know the signs of sudden heart failure. Post a list of the symptoms where you can refer to it as needed, and keep a copy in your wallet. Make sure your friends and family know the symptoms. If you have symptoms of sudden heart failure, seek emergency help immediately.
Avoid your triggers
Talk with your doctor about the following possible triggers. If these are triggers for you, use the suggestions to help you avoid them.
- Is eating too much sodium a trigger for you? Too much sodium is a common trigger for sudden heart failure. Be aware of how much sodium you are consuming. Do not eat or drink more than 2 g (2000 mg) of sodium in your diet each day. Look for hidden salt (sodium is a major component of salt) in your foods and liquids. Ready-to-eat and canned foods tend to have more sodium. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Talk with your health professional before taking any medicines that you can buy without a prescription; many contain sodium.
- Is overexercising a trigger for you? When you exercise, watch for signs that your heart is being stressed. If you become out of breath, have chest pain, or become dizzy, stop exercising. Talk with your doctor about whether you need to slow down, decrease your time, or avoid those activities.
- Is not taking medications properly a trigger for you? It is important to take all your medications and to take them at the times you and your doctor decided upon. For help setting up a system to take your medicines on schedule, see:
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| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: September 1, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
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