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...
Learn to keep track of your symptoms to help manage your heart failure.
Use this form to record the sodium content of the foods you eat or drink each day. This record will help you see whether you are getting too much sodium in your diet. Use the Nutrition Facts on food labels to help find how much sodium you eat. You can tell when your body retains fluid by weighing yourself often. Sodium...
Discusses need to watch fluid intake with heart failure. Gives tips for keeping track of fluid intake, spreading fluids throughout the day, and managing thirst.
Learn how to easily check your symptoms daily so you can stay healthy.
Find out what heart failure is, what it means when it's high, and how it's treated.
Learn how to know when changes in your symptoms mean you should get help.
Learn why you need a written plan to know when heart failure symptoms are an emergency.
Find what motivates you to add a little activity to your life and benefit your heart.
Hear how one woman found the support she needed to make heart-healthy choices.
Covers walking as one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity and improve health. Outlines how to safely start a walking program. Provides tips for staying motivated.
Hear what motivated other people to make changes to keep their heart healthy.
Discusses heart murmur, an extra sound the blood makes as it flows through the heart. Covers harmless (innocent) murmurs and abnormal murmurs. Includes info on heart valve damage. Discusses tests by a cardiologist including electrocardiogram (ECG).
A heart murmur is a sound made by blood moving through the chambers and valves of the heart or through the blood vessels near the heart. The sounds can be heard through a stethoscope. Heart murmurs are common in infants and children and are harmless in most cases. The murmurs usually are not a problem, require no...
Many things can make the heart beat faster or slower than usual. Some common examples are: Stress. Pain. Illness or fever. Dehydration. Exercise. Panic attacks. Stimulants, such as caffeine and nicotine. Medicine side effects.
Topic guides reader through decision to get a pacemaker for heart rate problems. Provides general overview of what pacemakers are and what heart problems can be helped with pacemakers. Lists benefits and possible complications of getting a pacemaker.
Is it okay to drive if you have an arrhythmia? You can drive with an arrhythmia as long as it doesn't cause symptoms that make it dangerous for you to drive. If you have an arrhythmia or an ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) that makes it dangerous for you to drive, your doctor might suggest that you stop...
If your doctor thinks you might have a heart rhythm problem, your doctor may ask you to keep a diary of symptoms. This information can help your doctor find out what type of rhythm problem you have. And if you have a rhythm problem, a symptom diary can help you keep track of your condition. You can then discuss your...
Topic guides reader through decision to get an ICD for heart rhythm problems. Provides general overview of what ICDs are and what heart rhythm problems can be helped with ICDs. Lists benefits and possible complications of getting an ICD.
Heart rhythm problems, called arrhythmias, can cause a few types of symptoms. Some of these symptoms include: Palpitations. Having palpitations means that you are unusually aware of your heartbeat. Some people describe them as: A "fluttering" in their chest. A "skipped beat." A "pounding sensation." A feeling that the...
How can tests for your heart help you? Heart tests can help your doctor find out if you have or are at risk for a heart problem and what treatment you might need. The tests help doctors find out what's causing new symptoms, such as discomfort in your chest, shortness of breath, and irregular heartbeats. The tests can...
