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YOUR HEALTH HISTORY:
According to the American Heart Association, smoking is
the most significant preventable cause of premature death
in the United States.
WHEN THE DIAGNOSIS IS HEART
failure, you've got a role to play—a
big one.
Every day there are steps you can
take to manage your disease.
Follow these pointers to help
your heart pump more efficiently
and improve the way you feel:
Take your medication exactly
as directed.
You may need to take
a diuretic (water pill) to help your
body get rid of excess fluid.
Your doctor may also prescribe
an ACE inhibitor—a drug that
reduces strain on the heart. Other
common medications include beta-
blockers to decrease the heart's
workload and digoxin to help the
heart pump more forcefully.
If you smoke, stop.
Don't be
discouraged if you've tried unsuc-
cessfully to quit before. It often takes
several attempts to quit for good.
YOUR HEART PUMP BETTER
pointers
If you smoke, you probably know the
negative effects it can have on your
lungs—from a smoker's cough to lung
cancer. But you may not realize the
effect it can have on your heart.
Smoking raises your risk of danger-
ous blood clots, injures blood vessels,
and speeds up the process of narrow-
ing and hardening your arteries—a
condition known as atherosclerosis—
which can lead to heart attacks.
Quit smoking now, however, and
you'll greatly reduce your risk of heart
attack, stroke, lung disease and cancer.
What's more, it's never too late to
quit, notes the American Heart Asso-
ciation. When you have heart disease,
quitting is an important part of treat-
ing the disease and preventing future
heart problems.
If you're ready to quit, here are a
few steps to help you get started:
■
Set a quit date, plan for it and stick
to it.
■
Choose a method for quitting.
■
Consider whether smoking ces-
sation medications might help you
quit.
Smoking: Quit now for your heart
Cut back on salt.
Too much salt
contributes to fluid buildup, which
can make heart failure worse.
Step on the scale.
Weigh your-
self every morning. If you gain 3 or
more pounds in one day or 5 or
more pounds in one week, call
your doctor. Un-
expected weight
gain is often the
first warning sign
of dangerous
fluid buildup.
FOR
HELPING
Take off
pounds if you're
overweight.
Being too heavy
can strain your
already weak-
ened heart.
Talk to your doctor about
exercise.
As a general rule, it's best
for people with heart failure to stay
active. Moderate aerobic exercise—
such as walking or swimming—is
good for your heart, your body and
your outlook. It can also boost your
energy level. But get your doctor's
OK before begin-
ning. And stop
exercising im-
mediately if you
have any chest
pain, shortness
of breath or
dizziness.
Watch symp-
toms.
Are your ankles swelling
more than usual? Are you waking
up short of breath? Is it hard to
breathe comfortably? Have you lost
your appetite? These are all signs
your heart failure may be getting
worse. Tell your doctor right away.
Carefully manage other
related conditions.
These may
include diabetes or high blood
pressure.
Source: American Heart Association
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