Heart failure management and treatment: Monitor weight and daily water intake

Article written by MSc Vu Thi Tuyet Mai - Cardiologist - Cardiovascular Center - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital

Weight monitoring is one of the most important and easy ways to tell if heart failure is stable or getting worse, and whether medication changes are needed to control excess fluid in the body. can or not? Timely intervention can reduce the frequency of hospitalization for exacerbations of decompensated heart failure.

Weight per day

Monitoring your weight every day and keeping a record of your weight is very important for patients with heart failure. Follow these steps, to help get the most accurate weight possible:
Use the same scale each day Weighing naked or wearing the same clothes Weighing at the same time each day Weigh yourself after urinating but before eating Record your weight every day, using a tracking calendar

Cân nặng hằng ngày — Bệnh nhân suy tim cần theo dõi và ghi chép lại cân nặng mỗi ngày

Know your dry weight

Dry weight is your weight when you don't have excess fluid in the body, when heart failure patients feel well. Maybe ask your doctor or nurse what your dry weight is. Write dry weight and daily tracking weight in the diary.
Compare your daily weight with your dry weight. The goal is to keep my weight changing by no more than 1.5kg (compared to my dry weight).
Dry weight may change over time. Remember to ask your doctor or nurse about your dry weight at each visit.
What if my weight changes significantly from my dry weight (more than 1.5 kg)? If you are at home, call the doctor or nurse caring for you.

Fluid restriction

Some patients with heart failure need to limit the amount of fluid they take in. Ask your doctor if you need to limit fluids and how much you can drink each day. Record right down at the weight measurement charts every day.

Monitor the amount of translation every day

First, it's important to keep track of all liquids you eat or drink each day, so that you don't exceed your limit, keep a record and use a water bottle to measure your daily water intake, to know when I have loaded the maximum amount of translation to the daily limit. Some foods are considered liquid such as soup, porridge, ice cream sticks, ice cream, plan cake, pudding, fruit like watermelon...

Không uống quá 50ml nước trước khi thực hiện chụp — Theo dõi tất cả các chất lỏng mà cơ thể dung nạp mỗi ngày

What if I'm thirsty?

Thirst does not always mean your body is lacking water, be careful not to take in too much water.
The following can help reduce thirst:
Snack on grapes or frozen strawberries Chew sugar-free gum or suck on hard candy Avoid milk, cream, and salt (sodium) as they can make you thirsty Use lipstick lip balm or lip balm (Vaseline) to keep lips moist If you sweat a lot or spend a lot of time in the hot sun, make sure you don't get dehydrated. Signs of dehydration or not drinking enough fluids are:
Dark urine (concentrated) Fast heartbeat Feeling dizzy when you move around Very dry mouth and tongue Feeling dizzy If there are signs of dehydration , drink one or more glasses of water

Control shortness of breath caused by excess fluid

If your body is too watery, you may feel like you can't breathe. If shortness of breath is a new symptom or if it gets worse than before, call your doctor or nurse. The following tips can help you get rid of excess fluid and breathe easier.

Hay đau tim khó thở mệt mỏi có phải thiếu máu cơ tim không? — Cơ thể dư thừa chất lỏng sẽ gây ra tình trạng khó thở

Limit sodium (salt) and fluids

Reduce the amount of sodium in your diet for 2 days. For example, if the normal diet is about 2,400 mg of sodium per day, reduce sodium intake to about 2,000 mg per day. Reduce water intake for 2 days. For example, if you normally drink 8 cups of water a day, reduce your water intake to 6 cups a day. If you've reduced sodium and fluids for 2 days and you're still having trouble breathing, call your doctor, who may need to change the dose of your diuretic to get rid of the water.

Try changing location

If breathing is difficult at night, use pillows or cushions to help elevate your head position. Or you can also try sleeping on a recliner. Tell your doctor or nurse if you need extra pillows or need to sleep in a chair to adjust your dose of diuretics, which can help prevent acute heart failure from progressing to hospitalisation.
Besides treating heart failure with medication, proper nutrition is indispensable for successful treatment of heart failure.

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