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.)