Heart failure is a serious medical condition that requires lifelong medical monitoring and treatment. Proper heart failure treatments, especially when started early, may be able to slow the progression and severity of the heart failure. Some treatment options involve managing other conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes as well as making lifestyle or dietary changes. Prescription medications are often used to treat heart failure, depending upon the extent of the heart failure as well as individual symptoms. In the most extreme cases, a heart transplant may become necessary.
Dietary changes are often among the most important heart failure treatments. A heart healthy diet is crucial to any patient with heart problems. General guidelines involve eating lean meats and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Greasy foods, foods high in fat, and excess sodium should be avoided. Potassium levels may need to be increased in many cases. A doctor or dietitian can assist the patient in finding a dietary plan that will work best for the individual.
Along with a heart healthy diet, adequate fluid intake is among the most important of the heart failure treatments. Certain types of fluid, such as alcohol, should be limited or avoided, depending upon doctor recommendations. Since the types and amounts of fluid depend upon the severity of the heart failure, the patient should consult a doctor for individualized instructions.
Other lifestyle changes that are often useful heart failure treatments may include exercise, rest, and weight management. Smoking and the use of illicit drugs should be avoided as well. Once again, the extent of these lifestyle changes depends upon the overall health of the patient and should be discussed with a doctor.
Prescription medications also are frequently used as heart failure treatments. These medications may be used to control high blood pressure or other medical conditions, such as diabetes. Diuretics, also known as fluid pills, may be prescribed if swelling is an issue. Other medications may be used to control the rate of heart disease progression, at the discretion of the physician.
If other heart failure treatments have failed, or if the degree of heart failure is too severe to support life, a heart transplant may be the only viable option. During this major surgical procedure, the blood is circulated through a machine while the diseased heart is removed and replaced with a healthy donor heart. This is a major surgery that requires a lengthy recovery period and a lifelong need to take medications designed to lessen the chances of the new heart being rejected by the body.