Nearly 7 million Americans are living with congestive heart failure, and about 960,000 more are diagnosed with it each year. This serious cardiovascular condition is also a leading cause of mortality, contributing to 1 in 9 adult deaths in the United States.
Despite its name, heart failure doesn’t mean that the heart is on the verge of stopping; it means the heart can’t pump enough blood and oxygen to support the body’s ongoing needs.
At Sunnyvale Cardiology, our board-certified cardiologists know that when your loved one receives this life-altering diagnosis, you want to do everything you can to support them. Here are a few helpful ways to do just that.
Heart failure is a progressive condition that occurs when the heart no longer pumps blood efficiently — either because of a mechanical problem that restricts its ability to fill with blood, or because the heart muscle itself has gradually lost its ability to contract normally.
When the heart can’t keep up with the body’s needs — and the body returns blood to the heart faster than the heart can pump it back out — the organ becomes congested. Then, it attempts to compensate in different ways:
Over the long run, less blood circulates, and the body lacks the blood and oxygen flow it needs to function normally and stay healthy. Fluid retention (edema), trouble breathing when lying down, and chronic fatigue are common heart failure effects. Even with treatment, the disease is progressive — meaning it gradually worsens as time goes on.
Heart failure is a life-changing diagnosis. Your loved one may not be able to handle all the daily tasks they once could, and at the same time, they may find themselves coping with increased worry and frustration — and needing to make certain lifestyle changes.
You can support your loved one by:
Learn about congestive heart failure so you can gain better insight into what your loved one is facing — including the symptoms they may experience, their evolving medical needs, and the long-term implications of their illness.
Routine daily tasks often become too physically taxing for someone with heart failure, and some tasks, like driving, may no longer be safe if your loved one has irregular heartbeats or fainting spells.
You can support your loved one by doing the grocery shopping, preparing meals, cleaning and doing other household chores, and driving them to doctor appointments and on other errands.
Stairs can be troublesome for someone with heart failure, especially as the disease progresses. This may necessitate rearranging the home environment to make life easier — such as moving their bedroom to the ground floor, for example.
It’s also important to ensure your loved one’s home has reliable air conditioning, as heart failure symptoms are much worse in hot, humid weather.
It’s important to respect your loved one’s autonomy and boundaries — you don’t want to take over their care — but it’s also helpful to offer your full support in the new world of regular doctor visits, medication management, and symptom monitoring. At the doctor’s office, you can help by taking notes and asking clarifying questions.
Help your loved one keep tabs on their symptoms at home, especially if they’re often tired or tend to underestimate the seriousness of symptom changes. This includes helping your loved one weigh themselves at about the same time each day; even small weight changes can signal a dangerous buildup of fluid.
It’s important for you or your loved one to call the doctor when heart failure symptoms worsen — or anytime there’s a sudden weight increase.
Encourage your loved one to gradually adopt the lifestyle changes recommended by their care team, whether they involve cultivating healthy eating patterns, engaging in light daily exercise, curtailing unhealthy habits (i.e., drinking), managing stress, or all of these.
Through active listening, give your loved one space to express their worries, fears, and needs. Validate their feelings and concerns and let them know you’re there for them.
Encourage your loved one to stay as active as they can, per their doctor’s guidelines: Moderate exercise and doing basic household tasks is safe for many heart failure patients — and staying active can help them feel better physically and mentally.
With your support, your loved one can continue to thrive with heart failure — and we’re here to help. Call or message us to schedule an appointment at Sunnyvale Cardiology in Sunnyvale, Texas, today.
