Heart Failure: How to Prevent It

Heart failure is a condition where the heart has trouble pumping blood. This may mean that the heart can't pump enough blood out to the body or that the heart doesn't fill up with enough blood. These problems can lead to symptoms like tiredness, trouble breathing, and swelling in the body.

Heart failure is a common medical condition that affects the whole body, not just the heart. By making changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can help prevent heart failure and avoid serious health problems.

How can this condition affect me?

• Feeling tired during normal physical activities.
• Trouble breathing.
• Swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet.
• Weight gain.
• A cough.

What can increase my risk?

The risk of heart failure increases as a person gets older. The most common causes are high blood pressure and blocked blood vessels known as coronary artery disease.

• Having any of these medical conditions:
  • Heart valve problems.
  • Diabetes.
  • Thyroid problems.
  • Heart rhythm problems.
  • Low blood counts. This is called anemia.
  • Lung disease.
  • Chronic kidney disease.
• Using tobacco or nicotine products.
• Using alcohol or other substances.
• Taking medicines that can damage the heart, like chemotherapy drugs.
• Having a family history of heart failure.
• Being very overweight or obese.
• Infections caused by viruses.

What actions can I take to prevent heart failure?

Eating and drinking

• If you're overweight or obese, talk with your health care provider about how many calories you should have each day to help you lose weight.
• Eat foods that are low in salt (sodium) and avoid adding extra salt to foods.
• Eat a balanced diet that includes:
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Whole grains.
  • Lean protein.
  • Beans.
  • Fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
  • Seafood 1–2 days a week.
• Avoid foods that have a lot of:
  • Trans fats.
  • Saturated fats.
  • Sugar.
  • Cholesterol.
• You may want to work with an expert in healthy eating called a dietitian.

Alcohol

• Do not drink alcohol if:
  • Your provider tells you not to drink.
  • You're pregnant, may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant.
• If you drink alcohol:
  • Limit how much you have to:
    • 0–1 drink a day if you're female.
    • 0–2 drinks a day if you're male.
  • Know how much alcohol is in your drink. In the U.S., one drink is one 12 oz bottle of beer (355 mL), one 5 oz glass of wine (148 mL), or one 1½ oz glass of hard liquor (44 mL).

Lifestyle

• Do not smoke, vape, or use nicotine or tobacco.
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5 days each week, or as much as told by your provider.
  • Do moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, biking, or water aerobics.
  • Ask your provider which activities are safe for you.
• Try to get 7–9 hours of sleep each night. To help with sleep:
  • Keep your bedroom cool and dark.
  • Do not eat a heavy meal during the hour before you go to bed.
  • Do not drink alcohol or drinks with caffeine before bed.
  • Avoid screentime before bedtime. This means avoiding TV, computers, tablets, and mobile phones.
• Find ways to relax and manage stress. These may include:
  • Breathing exercises.
  • Meditation.
  • Yoga.
  • Listening to music.

General instructions

• Blood pressure.
• Cholesterol levels.
• Blood sugar, also called glucose levels.
• Weight.

Where to find more information

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: nhlbi.nih.gov
• National Institute on Aging: nia.nih.gov
• American Heart Association: heart.org

Contact a health care provider if:

• You're gaining weight quickly.
• You have increasing shortness of breath that's unusual for you.
• You tire easily or you're not able to do your usual activities.
• You cough more than normal, especially when doing physical activity.
• You have swelling, or more swelling, in areas such as your hands, feet, or ankles.
• You have fast or irregular heartbeats (palpitations).

Get help right away if:

• You have trouble breathing.
• You have pain or discomfort in your chest.
• You faint.

• Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away.
• Do not drive yourself to the hospital.