Dr. Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills Hyderabad,Telangana - 500 033, India Contact Number(s):91-40-2360 7777 / 5555 / 2000
Lifestyle Changes for Heart Attack Prevention by Dr. GOKHALE
If the heart failure has been diagnosed as mild, lifestyle changes along with medication will be effective in slowing its progression. A patient should observe the following do’s and don’ts 1.Eat a healthy diet - eat foods high in fiber and limit foods high in fat, cholesterol and sugar. Reduce total daily intake of calories to lose weight if necessary. Stop smoking or chewing tobacco and drinking alcohol. 2.Exercise regularly - A regular cardiovascular exercise program, prescribed by the doctor, will help improve symptoms and strength and makes the patient feel better. It may also decrease heart failure progression. Avoid activities like pushing or pulling heavy objects, which worsen heart failure.
3.Keep blood pressure low - in heart failure, the release of hormones causes the blood vessels to constrict or tighten. The heart must work hard to pump blood through constricted vessels. Keep the blood pressure low so that the heart can pump effectively without extra stress. Prevent respiratory flu and pneumonia infections by undergoing vaccination. 4.Monitor symptoms - check for changes in the fluid status by weighing and checking for swelling. 5.Maintain fluid balance - the more fluid one carries in one’s blood vessels, the harder the heart must work to pump excess fluid through the body. Limiting fluid intake to less than 2 liters per day will help decrease the workload on the heart and prevent symptoms from recurring.
6.Limit salt intake - follow a low-sodium diet to ensure that there is less fluid retention and less swelling and breathing is easier. Limit consumption of sodium to less than 2,000 milligrams (2 grams) each day. 7.Take medications as prescribed - medications improve the heart's ability to pump blood, decrease stress on the heart, prevent fluid retention and the progression of heart failure. The medications also decrease the release of harmful hormones, and dilate blood vessels and thereby lower blood pressure. 8.See the doctor regularly - during follow-up visits, the doctor will find out whether heart failure is getting worse.
9.Bed Rest - It is recommended for those with severe CHF. To reduce lung congestion the patient’s upper body should be elevated. 10.Stress Reduction - Various stress reduction techniques such as meditation; relaxation response methods have a direct effect of reducing stress hormone levels. Others lifestyle changes that may reduce the symptoms of heart failure include stopping smoking or other tobacco use, eliminating or reducing alcohol consumption, and not using harmful drugs.
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Dr. Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills Hyderabad Telangana 500 033 India Days Available & Timings: Mon-Fri 10am - 5:00pm Emergency Number(s): 9603040506 Contact Number(s): 91-40-2360 7777 / 5555 / 2000 www.drgokhale.com