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With a name like heart failure, the news isn’t exactly bright when you receive this diagnosis. That said, it certainly isn’t a reason to just shut down.
The fact of the matter is that nearly 7 million Americans are living with heart failure, and many are living very well thanks to a few great practices that can help you better manage your cardiovascular health.
At Upper East Side Cardiology, Dr. Satjit Bhusri is a board-certified cardiologist who partners with patients to help them navigate serious cardiovascular issues like heart failure. While each patient’s journey is unique, here is a brief review of the practices we encourage in people dealing with this chronic condition.
1. Work closely with your team
We mentioned partnering with patients who have heart failure and this is your first order of business — getting the right medical team to oversee your condition. Heart failure is progressive, so you want a team that closely monitors your cardiovascular health every step of the way, which is certainly what we accomplish here.
Not only do we follow you closely, we also work with you on an individualized program that helps keep you healthy, despite your diagnosis.
2. Track your symptoms
It’s incredibly important that you track any symptoms you have on a daily basis. For example, is your breathing more labored when you climb some stairs or are you having more trouble than usual getting your shoes on your feet thanks to swelling?
To make this symptom tracking a little easier, we refer you to a self-check plan created by the American Heart Association. This plan is divided into green, yellow, and red categories of symptoms that you can check every day to figure out whether you’re in the clear or approaching a danger zone.
3. Weigh yourself every day
Most people with heart failure develop edema, which is swelling in their tissues due to fluid buildup. We want you to track this side effect closely, and the best way to do that is by weighing yourself at the same time each day.
To start, you want to figure out what your dry weight is, which is your weight without the fluid buildup. From there, if you notice a sudden weight gain, this is a red flag that you need to act on.
4. Manage your mental health
Receiving a heart failure diagnosis does change your life considerably and can be an emotional and mental shock. It’s a great practice to stay connected with people who have heart failure and to consider seeking help from a mental health professional.
5. Keep moving
It’s really important that you carve out time each day to move around and get some exercise, like walking. Ideally, we want you to work up to getting 30-45 minutes of activity each day. Talk with us about what types of physical activity might be best for your particular situation.
6. Be vigilant about taking your medications
Whatever medications we’ve prescribed, it’s important that you take them diligently. We recommend using a pill organizer, which can take the guesswork out of taking medications.
There are other great practices for living well with heart failure, but these are the main ones to get you started.
For a more personalized heart failure management plan, it’s a good idea to call our New York City office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 212-752-3464 to schedule an appointment. Or you can request one online by clicking here.