Three Things Every CHF Patient Should Do

Cate Blanchett disguised as a homeless man
Posted by:
Mike Bael
July 8, 2015

or, realistically 3 THINGS EVERY CAREGIVER FOR A COPD PATIENT SHOULD MAKE SURE GETS DONE

Folks, it boils down to this:

THREE THINGS EVERY CHF PATIENT SHOULD DO

  • ONE!

Take your pills

  • There are three main types of pills for heart failure
    • Vasodilators (Enalapril Lisinopril amlodipine Norvasc Diltiazem Cardezem Procardia Nifedipine Verapimel and many more!)
      • Vasodilators open up the constricted blood vessels making the Blood Stream Traffic Circle ready for clear and eazy traveling again
    • Beta Blockers (Metoprolol Toprol atenolol and a few more)
      • Slow down your heartbeat and let your heart beat a little less hard
        • In other words, beta blockers give your heart a rest
      • Diuretics or “Water Pills” (Lasix furosemide hydrochlorothiazide spironolactone Aldactone)
        • Most of blood, even though it’s red, is water.
        • How do we get rid of water in our bodies? We pee!
        • And, for somebody with CHF, that means
          • My legs are thinner!
          • I got more energy!
          • And I can breathe!
  • TWO!
    • Recognize the problems and call the doctor
      • Difficulty breathing
        • Could be water in the lungs. Call the doctor right away!
      • Feet and legs that are even more swollen than usual
        • Could be a heart problem. Call the doctor.
      • Lower legs that have a new wound or are red and hot
        • Could be an infection or, by tomorrow, a really bad Call the doctor right away.
      • Trouble sleeping, needs more pillows to sleep, or starts sleeping in a chair.
        • Could be a new heart problem. Call the doctor right away.
  • THREE!
    • Don’t let them lower legs dangle. This can cause all kinds of problems like infected wounds that never heal.
      • No sleeping in the chair.
      • While you’re watching TV, put your feet on an Ottoman. Be a king! (This is harder to get people to do than it sounds. But try to make it work. Our patients watch a lot of TV. That’s a long time to let your feet dangle, collecting water.)
Mike Bael
Blog Archive

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

menucross-circle