Heart Failure: Avoiding Triggers for Sudden Heart Failure
Introduction
Sudden heart failure
can be prevented
by avoiding the triggers that cause it. Not all people are
sensitive to or react to the same triggers. What may cause sudden heart failure
in one person may not cause another person any difficulty. To avoid
sudden heart failure:
- Pay attention to your symptoms. Changes in
your weight, difficulty breathing, decreased appetite, and swelling (usually
first noticed in the feet and legs) may be signs that your heart failure is
getting worse.
- Keep your diet, exercise, and medicine routine as
close to the same schedule as possible.
- Avoid things that you know
can trigger heart failure, such as eating too much salt.
Sudden heart failure
causes rapid fluid buildup in the lungs (congestion,
pulmonary edema). Symptoms develop suddenly and
include:
- Severe shortness of breath.
- An
irregular or rapid heartbeat.
- Coughing up foamy, pink mucus.
Sudden heart failure is an emergency medical situation and requires immediate care.
Test Your Knowledge
Sudden heart failure requires emergency medical
treatment.
-
True
This answer is correct.
Sudden heart failure is an emergency medical situation and requires immediate care.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
Sudden heart failure is an emergency medical situation and requires immediate care.
-
Continue to Why?
Triggers upset the delicate balance in your body, making it even harder
for your heart to pump effectively. When your heart suddenly cannot pump the
blood that your body needs, symptoms of
sudden heart failure develop.
Triggers
lead to sudden heart failure in different ways.
Why does sodium (salt) trigger sudden heart failure?
After eating salty foods, you probably notice that you are thirsty and
want to drink extra liquids. Sodium is a major component of salt and will cause
your body to hold on to (retain) fluid even if you don't drink more liquids.
This extra fluid causes your heart to work harder than normal to circulate the
extra blood volume throughout your body.
Why does overexercising trigger sudden heart failure?
Moderate,
regular exercise is very good for you and your heart. It improves your
circulation and helps you control your weight. But if you overexercise to the
point that you become out of breath, have chest pain, or become dizzy, you may
be doing more harm than good. Overexercise increases your heart's workload and
can reduce its ability to pump effectively.
Why does taking medicines incorrectly trigger sudden heart failure?
Your medicines help keep a delicate balance between the amount of
fluid in your body and the ability of your heart to effectively pump blood. If
you delay or miss doses of your medicines, it can affect this balance. Also,
let your doctor know about any nonprescription medicines or natural supplements
you take, because they might contain sodium or make your prescription drugs
work less effectively.
Test Your Knowledge
Triggers can lead to an emergency situation because
your heart cannot effectively pump blood to your body.
-
True
This answer is correct.
Triggers can lead to an emergency situation
because your heart cannot effectively pump blood to your body. Triggers upset
the delicate balance in your body, making it hard for your heart to pump
effectively. When your heart suddenly cannot pump the blood that your body
needs, symptoms of sudden heart failure develop. In sudden heart failure, the
body does not have time to correct for the poor pumping or filling function of
the heart. Sudden heart failure is an emergency situation.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
Triggers can lead to an emergency situation
because your heart cannot effectively pump blood to your body. Triggers upset
the delicate balance in your body, making it hard for your heart to pump
effectively. When your heart suddenly cannot pump the blood that your body
needs, symptoms of sudden heart failure develop. In sudden heart failure, the
body does not have time to correct for the poor pumping or filling function of
the heart. Sudden heart failure is an emergency situation.
-
Continue to How?
Watch for signs of sudden heart failure.
- Track your symptoms. As you live with your
heart condition, become familiar with changes in how you feel, and let your
doctor know if your heart condition is getting worse. Keeping a
record of your symptoms(What is a PDF document?) can help.
- Weigh yourself every day before breakfast. A sudden weight gain,
such as 3 lb (1.4 kg) or more
in 2 to 3 days, could signal the beginning of sudden heart
failure.
- Know the signs of
sudden heart failure. Post a list of the symptoms
where you can refer to it as needed, and keep a copy in your wallet. Make sure
your friends and family know the symptoms. If you have symptoms of sudden heart
failure, seek emergency help immediately.
Avoid your triggers
Talk with your doctor about the following possible triggers. If these are
triggers for you, use the suggestions to help you avoid them.
-
Is eating too much sodium a trigger for you? Too
much sodium is a common trigger for sudden heart failure. Be aware of how much
sodium you are consuming. Your doctor might recommend that you not eat or drink more than
2 g (2000 mg) of sodium in your
diet each day. Know how to find out how much sodium is in
your foods and liquids. Ready-to-eat and canned foods tend to have more sodium.
Choose fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Talk with your doctor
before taking any medicines that you can buy without a prescription. Many
contain sodium.
-
Is overexercising a trigger for you? When you
exercise, watch for signs that your heart is being stressed. If you become out
of breath, have chest pain, or become dizzy, stop exercising. Talk with your
doctor about whether you need to slow down, decrease your time, or avoid those
activities.
-
Is not taking medicines properly a trigger for you? It is important to take all your medicines and to take them
at the times you and your doctor decided upon.
-
Heart Failure: Taking Medicines Properly.
Test Your Knowledge
Eating too much sodium can trigger sudden heart
failure.
-
True
This answer is correct.
Sodium is a common trigger for sudden heart
failure. Be aware of how much sodium you are eating and drinking. Your doctor might recommend that you do not
consume more than 2 g (2000 mg)
of sodium in your diet each day. Look for hidden salt (sodium) in your foods
and liquids. Talk with your doctor before taking any nonprescription medicines
or natural supplements. Many contain sodium.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
Sodium is a common trigger for sudden heart
failure. Be aware of how much sodium you are eating and drinking. Your doctor might recommend that you do not consume more than 2 g (2000 mg)
of sodium in your diet each day. Look for hidden salt (sodium) in your foods
and liquids. Talk with your doctor before taking any nonprescription medicines
or natural supplements. Many contain sodium.
-
Continue to Where?
Now that you have read this
information, you are ready to start avoiding triggers for sudden heart
failure.
Talk with your doctor
If you have questions about this information, take it with you when you
visit your doctor. You may want to use a highlighter to mark areas or make
notes in the margins of pages where you have questions.
Take your
symptoms record with you when you visit your doctor. Be sure to let your doctor
know if you are noticing changes in your symptoms.
Talk with your
doctor about what might be triggers for you. Discuss ways you can avoid those
triggers.
If you would like more information about sudden heart
failure, the following resource is available:
Organizations
|
American Heart Association (AHA)
|
| 7272 Greenville Avenue |
| Dallas, TX 75231 |
| Phone: |
1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) |
| Web Address: |
www.heart.org |
| |
|
Visit the American Heart Association (AHA) website for information on
physical activity, diet, and various heart-related conditions. You can search for information on heart disease and stroke, share information with friends and family, and use tools to help you make heart-healthy goals and plans. Contact the AHA to find your
nearest local or state AHA group. The AHA provides brochures and information
about support groups and community programs, including Mended Hearts, a
nationwide organization whose members visit people with heart problems and
provide information and support.
|
|
|
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI)
|
| P.O. Box 30105 |
| Bethesda, MD 20824-0105 |
| Phone: |
(301) 592-8573 |
| Fax: |
(240) 629-3246 |
| TDD: |
(240) 629-3255 |
| Email: |
nhlbiinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov |
| Web Address: |
www.nhlbi.nih.gov |
| |
|
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI) information center offers information and publications about preventing
and treating:
- Diseases affecting the heart and circulation, such as heart
attacks, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease, and
heart problems present at birth (congenital heart diseases).
- Diseases that affect the lungs, such as asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, sleep apnea, and
pneumonia.
- Diseases that affect the blood, such as anemia,
hemochromatosis, hemophilia, thalassemia, and von Willebrand disease.
|
|
|
National Institutes of Health Senior
Health
|
| 9000 Rockville Pike |
| Bethesda, MD 20892 |
| Phone: |
1-800-222-2225 Aging Information Center |
| TDD: |
1-800-222-4225 |
| Email: |
custserv@nlm.nih.gov |
| Web Address: |
www.nihseniorhealth.gov |
| |
|
This website for older adults offers aging-related
health information. The website's senior-friendly features include large
print, simple navigation, and short, easy-to-read segments of information. A
visitor to this website can click special buttons to hear the text aloud, make
the text larger, or turn on higher contrast for easier viewing.
The
site was developed by the National Institute on Aging and the National
Library of Medicine, both part of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). NIHSeniorHealth features up-to-date health information from NIH. Also,
the American Geriatrics Society provides independent review of some of the
material found on this website.
|
|
Return to topic:
Credits
|
By
|
Healthwise Staff |
|
Primary Medical Reviewer
|
Rakesh K. Pai, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology |
|
Specialist Medical Reviewer
|
Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology |
|
Last Revised
|
April 26, 2012 |
Last Revised:
April 26, 2012