Congestive Heart Failure
Facing a serious advanced illness is not easy. There are difficult topics to discuss with your loved ones, treatment options to consider, and tough decisions to make.
Here at Kaiser Permanente, we have a team of health care professionals here help you and your family talk through these challenging issues and understand your options. We want to hear what is important to you. Whatever your wishes, we will work with you by providing information and support.
What is Congestive Heart Failure?
Heart failure means that the heart does not pump normally or does not pump enough. It does not mean that your heart has stopped working or is about to stop working. With heart failure, either the heart is pumping less blood than your body needs (low output); or it is pumping with raised pressure so that fluid backs up (fluid congestion).
How can we help?
- Work with patients to make sure they are on appropriate guideline-directed therapy to help their heart get stronger
- Increase the heart medications to target doses so patients get the most benefit from their heart medications
- Help patients lower their sodium by guiding them towards a Healthy eating lifestyle
- Offer classes to help patients live better with heart failure and guide them to live with a healthier heart
- Teach self-management techniques to help with monitoring water and sodium intake, daily weight, and ways to manage your stress to promote a healthier heart
How to get more information?
To learn more about Congestive Heart Failure, talk to your primary care physician.