Heart Failure and Your Weight Why weight matters
Holding fluids
The heavier you are, the harder your heart has to work to pump blood to all parts of your body. With heart failure, your heart is already weakened. This extra work weakens your heart even more. Controlling your weight can help your heart pump better.
When your heart does not pump blood as it should, your kidneys hold fluid (water and salt) and do not send it out in your urine. Your heart has to work harder to pump this extra fluid, as well as your blood.
Eating a healthy diet and doing some moderate exercise, like brisk walking, can help you lose weight. Follow these rules:
Weigh yourself at the same time each day wearing the same clothing. If you gain 3-4 pounds in 1-2 days (or 2 lbs overnight), call your doctor. This usually means your body is holding fluid.
eat a low-fat, low-calorie diet limit salt and fluid as your doctor advises no more than 1-2 alcohol servings per week (1 serving = 1½ oz 80 proof liquor or 5 oz of wine or 12 oz of beer) no more than 1 caffeinated beverage per day eat smaller portions more often during the day ask your doctor for an exercise plan for you
ATLANTA GA • 800-241-4925 • www.p-h.com Bringing Patients & Health Together
Keep a record of your weight. This will help you know if your body may be holding fluid. If so, your doctor may need to give you more diuretics (drugs that help remove added fluid from your body). Think about what you are eating as you track your weight. If you are eating less but your weight is staying the same, your body may be holding fluid even though you are losing fat. If you aren’t losing weight but think you should be because you are eating less, talk with your doctor. Use the Daily Weight Record on the back to keep track of your weight. Take it with you to your doctor appointments.
Copyright ©2000-2015 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.
Product # 368A
Daily Weight Record Weigh every day at the same time, on the same scale, with the same amount of clothes on. Take this record to your next appointment.
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My dry weight is_______lbs. Dry weight is your weight without extra fluid.
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ATLANTA GA • 800-241-4925 • www.p-h.com Bringing Patients & Health Together
Check AM-PM Comments/Diuretic I took
Copyright ©2000-2015 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.