Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a type of heart failure. It happens when the heart's lower left chamber (left ventricle) doesn't pump blood out to the body as well as it should. It's sometimes called systolic heart failure. This is because your left ventricle doesn't squeeze forcefully enough...
Covers how exercise can improve health when you have heart failure. Explains importance of working with your doctor to create a plan for safe exercise. Includes tips for staying safe during activity, staying motivated, and getting support for being active.
If you have heart failure, it is important that you do as much as possible to avoid catching colds, the flu, and other respiratory infections. Although these may be relatively minor illnesses in healthy people, they are more dangerous if you have heart failure, and you are at higher risk for dangerous complications...
Some medicines can affect your heart and make your heart failure worse. Others may keep your heart failure medicines from working right. So it's important to be careful with medicines. These include NSAID pain relievers and medicines that speed up the heart rate. Over-the-counter medicines that you may need to avoid...
Lists triggers that lead to congestive heart failure: too much salt, too much exercise, and taking medicines wrong. Encourages staying with diet, medicine, and exercise plan.
Learn how exercise is good for your heart and how to be active and safe.
Discusses importance of tracking weight for those with heart failure. Covers how to check your weight when you have heart failure.
Understand how daily weight checks help you avoid heart failure emergencies.
Heart failure means that your heart muscle doesn't pump as much blood as your body needs. Because your heart can't pump well, your heart and your body try to make up for it. This is called compensation. Your body has a remarkable ability to compensate for heart failure. The body may do such a good job that many people...
Many hospitals and insurers have developed disease management (DM) programs to educate people who have heart failure about their disease. Disease management includes a broad range of health services, such as home health care, visiting nurses, and rehabilitation. The goal of DM programs is to offer a combination of...
Why is diet important for heart failure? Diet is critical in the treatment of heart failure. Limiting sodium is typically recommended to limit fluid build-up. But some other nutrients or substances also play a role as well. Heart failure can become more severe if diet and medicine recommendations for heart failure are...
Learn the definition of heart failure.
Learn how to reach out to family or friends for support when you have heart failure.
Learn how checking your symptoms every day helps you manage your heart failure.
While there are certain symptoms that people with heart failure experience more commonly, there are many other symptoms that heart failure can cause. These symptoms are typically less common because they often result from more severe heart failure, when the body can no longer compensate properly for the failing heart...
Learn tips for limiting fluids—if your doctor has asked you to—when you have heart failure.
Learn how sodium affects heart failure symptoms and get tips for low-sodium meals.
Learn why your daily care plan is so important for managing your heart failure.
Learn which medicines could make your heart failure worse.
Learn how to start tracking the sodium in all the foods and drinks you have each day.
Guides through decision to get a pacemaker for heart failure. Answers common questions about pacemakers, such as how they work and are placed. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you make your decision.
Guides you through decision to get an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Gives information about ICDs and asks questions to help you learn if an ICD is right for you. Covers benefits and risks. Includes an interactive tool to help you decide.
Learn how to take small steps toward long-term self-care for heart failure.
Learn about help you'll get to manage your heart failure at home.
Use this form to describe the severity of your heart failure symptoms and whether they get worse. Also, record any new symptoms that develop. Take this form with you when you visit your doctor. Symptoms Describe severity of symptoms and when they started Shortness of breath Swelling in your legs or ankles Sudden weight...
Learn from another person with heart failure about the importance of taking your medicines.
Explains how to take medicine for congestive heart failure. Suggests schedules, lists, and pill containers to remember when to take medicines. Covers need-to-know names of medicines and side effects. Also how to handle missed doses, need to avoid certain medicines.
Learn how to stay safe with prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines when you have heart failure.
Talk with doctors, therapists, and counselors about how to help a friend or relative living with heart failure. Most people don't hesitate when they are called upon to help a loved one who is ill. But being a full-time caregiver may be an unfamiliar role for you. It is important to consider the long-term implications of...
If you have heart failure, the following tips may help you deal with fluid buildup that makes it hard to breathe. Call your doctor if you have new symptoms or if your symptoms have become worse. Elevate your upper body. Sit in a chair or prop yourself up with pillows. At night, sleep with one or two pillows under your...
