congestive heart failure

Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive Heart Failure, now commonly referred to as Heart Failure is when a person’s heart cannot pump well enough to meet the body’s need for oxygen.

The term Heart Failure may make people think that their heart is no longer working and that there is nothing that can be done. Actually, Heart Failure just means that the heart isn’t pumping as well as it could.

Heart Failure may have many causes, such as long-standing high blood pressure and/or coronary artery disease (blockages in the small arteries that give oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle itself.)

Individuals with Heart Failure often are told to eat a diet low in sodium (NA) or salt. This is done because sodium attracts water. When too much sodium is eaten, the body retains extra water which creates more work for the heart. When the heart cannot pump all of the extra fluid out to the body, the extra fluid has to go somewhere and may build up in the lungs, feet, ankles, legs, etc.

This extra fluid may then cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fatigue/tiredness, cough, and weight gain (more than 2 - 3 lbs in one day). Shortness of breath (SOB) can be a sign or symptom of increased fluid retention. The shortness of breath may be due to an increase in dietary sodium. Weighing yourself regularly is a way of keeping track of how well you are controlling your salt intake. Looking for swelling or edema of your feet &/or legs is another way of tracking whether you are eating too much sodium.

For more information about Heart Failure refer to the following:

Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) web site.

Heartfailure.org web site

What is Heart Failure and Why Should I Care (pdf file). Written by nurse author Sandra Parkington.

To learn more about reducing salt or sodium in your diet, please refer to the book, How to Keep Track of Your SALT Intake, which is available for purchase through this web site.

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The information contained on this site is not a substitute for physician or other health care provider directed medical care for any medical condition. Please see your medical care provider if you suspect you may have a medical condition which necessitates a reduced-sodium diet. The SalTrax™ method as described here may be used by anyone wishing to keep track of the amount of sodium in his/her diet.