Skip to main content

Tips To Prevent Heart Failure From Worsening And CPR Tampa Classes

Heart failure (HF) affects nearly 6 million Americans, and is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65. Heart failure means that the ticker works less efficiently than normal. Blood- due to various possible causes- moves through the heart and body at a slower rate, and pressure in the heart increases. The ticker, as a result cannot pump enough oxygen and nutrients to meet the body’s needs. The heart’s chambers may respond by stretching to hold more blood to pump through the body or by becoming thick and stiffened, which helps to keep the blood moving, but the heart muscle walls may eventually weaken and become unable to pump as efficiently. The kidneys, as a result may respond by causing the body to retain fluid (water) and salt. The body becomes congested if fluid builds up in the arms, legs, ankles, feet, lungs, or other organs, and congestive heart failure (CHF) is the term used to describe condition.

Types of HF include systolic dysfunction or systolic heart failure and diastolic dysfunction or diastolic heart failure. You may not have any symptoms of HF, or the symptoms may be mild to severe. Symptoms can be constant or can come and go, and can include congested lungs, fluid and water retention, rapid or irregular heartbeats, and dizziness, fatigue and weakness.


Tips to prevent heart failure from worsening:
Limit Salt (Sodium) Intake- Sodium is found naturally in many foods we eat, and is also added for flavoring or to make food last longer. You’ll have less fluid retention, less swelling and breathe easier if you follow a low-sodium diet.

Maintain Fluid Balance- Your healthcare provider may ask you to keep a record of the amount of fluids you drink or eat and how often you go to the bathroom. It should be noted that the more fluid you carry in your blood vessels, the harder your ticker must work to pump excess fluid through your body. So, decrease the workload of your ticker and prevent symptoms from recurring by limiting your fluid intake to less than 2 liters per day.

Keep Your Blood Pressure In Check- The release of hormones in HF causes the blood vessels to constrict or tighten, and the ticker must work hard to pump blood through the constricted vessels. So, keep your blood pressure controlled so that your ticker can pump more effectively without extra stress.

Monitor Your Own Symptoms- Weigh yourself daily to check for changes in your fluid status and check for swelling. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained weight gain or if you have increased swelling. Also, call your doctor if new symptoms occur or if your symptoms worsen. Do not delay and wait for your symptoms to become so severe that you need to seek emergency treatment.

Take Your Medications Exactly As Prescribed- Medications are used to improve your ticker’s ability to pump blood, decrease stress on your heart, decrease the progression of HF, and prevent fluid retention. Many heart failure drugs are used to decrease the release of harmful hormones, which will cause your blood vessels to dilate or relax (thereby lowering your blood pressure).

Schedule And Keep Regular Doctor Appointments- Your doctors, during follow-up visits will make sure you are staying healthy and that your HF isn’t worsening. Write down questions, if you have any and bring them to your appointment. For urgent questions, call your doctor right away. Apart from notifying all your doctors about your HF, medications, and any restrictions, also check with your cardiologist about any new medications prescribed by another doctor. Keep good records and carry them with you to each doctor visit.

Ways to prevent further heart damage:
1.      Quit smoking or stop chewing tobacco
2.      Avoid alcohol
3.      Reach and maintain a healthy body weight
4.      Exercise regularly
5.      Control high blood pressure, cholesterol levels and diabetes
6.      To treat your HF, have surgery or other procedures as recommended

Medications to avoid if you have heart failure:
There are different types of medications that are best avoided in those with heart failure including some antiarrhythmic agents, most calcium channel blockers, some nutritional supplements like salt substitutes and growth hormone therapies, antacids that contain sodium, decongestants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Discuss with your doctor if you are taking any of these medications.
It is essential that you know the names of your medications, what they are used for, and how often and at what times you take them. Keep a list of your medications and carry them with you to each of your doctor visits. Never stop taking your medications without consulting your doctor. Your medications decrease the work of your heart so that it can pump more effectively even if you have no symptoms.

Call on 813-453-9974 to register for a program at CPR Tampa in Florida. Check our class calendar and select an appropriate course for yourself. If the class day/time doesn’t fit your schedule, check our Palm Harbor location 36141 US Highway 19 North, Palm Harbor, FL 34684.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BLS Classes For Healthcare Providers In The Tampa Region At CPR Tampa

A good amount of cardiac arrest cases occurs out of the hospitals where presence of a healthcare provider is most unlikely. Cardiac arrest which is a life-threatening condition sees no age or sex before striking. Even an infant or a child is as much susceptible to it as others. Nobody can predict its occurrence, all one can do is to stay prepared to face such untoward cardiac emergencies involving someone else. In most out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases a victim loses his or her life due to lack of proper treatment in the hands of the surrounding people which can mostly be attributed to their lack of knowledge in the indispensable life-saving Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation procedures. The CPR techniques are the only techniques which can revive the life of a cardiac arrest victim if properly applied. There are courses for both healthcare as well as non-healthcare professionals. For learning the procedures always go for a good and reputed training center or school. If you are a ...
2 comments
Read more

Get to Know Varieties of CPR Training Programs in Tampa

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training has become essential in this age as the American Heart Association (AHA) has already declared that every citizen must take steps to learn this cardiac first aid technique well to secure their family members’ lives as well as others’. With loads of CPR training courses like ACLS, PALS, BLS, and others, AHA certified institutes in Tampa Florida give you a tremendous opportunity to learn this life saving basic cardiac massage. This will also help you earn respect and money if you can practice this first aid technique with full effort. Visit CPR Tampa which is completely an American Heart Association training site that is certified to teach all AHA courses encompassing Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and HeartSaver CPR and First Aid. The AHA needs that all students have a proper manual before, during and after class. If you do not have the manual, you ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Be Prepared In Facing And Overcoming Difficulties Concerning Your Child In Tampa

As parents you would always look for the safety of your child, you would want to protect your child from all kinds of dangers so for achieving this you take all the necessary precautions but still something may fall short in your endeavor in ensuring the safety of your child. Cardiac arrest which is on the rise these days is taking everyone in its grip, even the children are not spared from it. There are many reasons which can cause a cardiac arrest in your child ranging from an accident such as choking, drowning, etc to a congenital heart disease, breathing problems, etc. A sudden cardiac arrest may strike your child unannounced so at that time the first thing that you should do is call for the emergency medical services but until that you should also apply first aid techniques to your child for stabilizing his or her condition. Delay in treating a cardiac arrest struck victim specially if the victim is a child can cause permanent damage to his or her organs and even death which m...
Post a Comment
Read more