If you have been diagnosed with chronic heart failure, it is very important to monitor yourself closely, take prescribed medications correctly, live with heart failure appropriately and seek advice and help in a timely manner if problems arise.

It is therefore important to do the following things well:

Follow-up

• Visit your doctor(s) for regular check-ups.
• Have blood drawn occasionally, certainly before each check-up with the cardiologist. The kidney function and the ionogram (especially the sodium and potassium levels) must be monitored.
• Follow the evolution of your symptoms, weight, blood pressure and pulse at home. You can keep track of these in the heart failure diary of your hospital. Sometimes these parameters are also followed via telemonitoring by your heart failure team in the hospital.
  This is very important, because a (sudden) change in these parameters can be a prelude to increasing complaints and/or hospitalization. If changes in your condition are noticed quickly, you can be re-examined by your doctor more quickly to adjust your treatment if necessary.

• If you have any problems, contact your doctor or heart failure nurse.

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Medication

• Take your medication daily as prescribed.
• Do not change or stop taking any medication without consulting your doctor.
• Make sure you never run out of medication. Get a new prescription and box in time when a box is almost empty.
• Keep the medication list up to date and have it adjusted if there is a change in the medication. Always bring this list to the consultation.
• Avoid taking anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen, diclofenac , naproxen , etc.) or effervescent tablets (these contain a lot of salt). Paracetamol up to 3x1 gram per day is allowed.

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Power supply

• Aim for a healthy and varied diet.
• Don't overdo it with salt. Limit salt especially if you have to take water pills (diuretics) daily or have poor kidney function.
• Drink when you are thirsty. Do not drink too much (less than 1.5 to 2 litres per day, all inclusive: water, coffee, soup, etc.). Stricter fluid restriction is necessary if you have to take water pills (diuretics) daily or have poor kidney function. On hot days or in case of illness (vomiting, diarrhoea, etc.) you may drink a little more.
• Limit alcohol consumption with preferably at least 2 days a week without alcohol. It is always better to drink as little as possible or no alcohol.
• Lose weight if necessary.

Read more about nutrition.

Read more about fluid intake.

Lifestyle: How to live with heart failure?

• Get enough exercise. Try to walk or cycle daily. Listen to your body and don't force it.
• Stop smoking if you smoke.
• Get these vaccinations: flu, COVID, pneumococcal.
• Sometimes you are unfit to drive: discuss this.
• Traveling is allowed, but take precautions.

Read more.