How to Support Your Loved One With Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a subtype of heart failure in which fluids build up in your lungs and legs. You’re diagnosed with CHF if your heart is too weak to pump and supply your organs and tissues with the blood they need to function.

About 6.5 million women and men in the United States over age 20 have some form of heart failure. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, and almost 9% of those deaths are caused by congestive heart failure.

Nevertheless, getting a CHF diagnosis isn't necessarily a death sentence. Lifestyle changes, medications, and medical devices can give your heart the support it needs to function more optimally so you can enjoy a rich, full life.

 If someone you love has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, our expert cardiology team at Advanced Medical Care is here to help. At our offices in Queens and Brooklyn, New York, we devise a care plan for your loved one that you can help them adopt and maintain.

How can you support your loved one with CHF? Here are a few tips.

Help them manage underlying conditions

Heart failure rarely develops in a vacuum. Your loved one may have been born with a congenital heart condition that weakened their heart over time. Or they may have developed CHF through a combination of lifestyle habits and underlying conditions, such as:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Tobacco use
• Recreational drug use
• Chemotherapy for cancer
• Kidney disease
• High blood pressure
• Arrhythmia
• Cardiomyopathy

If appropriate, we may recommend lifestyle changes that help them manage underlying conditions or break habits that injure their heart. You can support them by encouraging them to take charge of their health.

You may even choose to go on their health journey with them. Many of the dietary and exercise recommendations for CHF are appropriate for the general population to encourage a longer, healthier lifespan.

Help them understand their diagnosis

Being told that you have a life-threatening illness is overwhelming. Your loved one (and you) may be frightened, sad, and angry. They may also feel powerless.

When you’re stressed and anxious, it’s difficult to absorb new and challenging information. You can help them by taking notes, asking their cardiologist questions, and staying in touch with our team.

A congestive heart failure diagnosis covers various stages of the disease, which change the way it may be treated and its most likely outcomes. Your cardiologist lets you know which stage your loved one has:

Stages A and B

Stages A and B of CHF are considered pre-heart failure. Your loved one is at risk for CHF or has a dysfunctional left ventricle but has no disruptive symptoms. Lifestyle changes may help prevent them moving to a later stage.

Stage C

Your loved one has been formally diagnosed with CHF in this stage. They’ve experienced symptoms, such as trouble breathing or chest pain.

Stage D and reduced ejection fraction

In stage D of CHF, your loved one has heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Stage D HFrEF is the final phase and indicates severe disease that won’t improve with treatment. Medication and interventions aim to keep them stable.

Help them manage their disease

Patients in all stages of congestive heart failure should adopt the lifestyle changes recommended for stage A. These include:

• Get daily movement, such as walking and other exercise
• Quit smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking recreational drugs
• Adopt a heart-healthy diet that emphasizes whole foods
• Take medications as directed, such as statins to reduce cholesterol, drugs to reduce high blood pressure, or ACE-I or ARB to manage cardiovascular conditions

If your loved one is in stage B, they need all of the interventions for stage A, plus may need other medications, such as beta-blockers. In addition, they could require surgery to:

• Unblock coronary arteries
• Repair or replace defective valves
• Repair a congenital defect

In stage C, they need all of the treatments from stages A and B, plus other medications to reduce fluid buildup and support the heart’s function. They may also need to restrict fluid intake. Possible surgeries include getting a pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).

If your loved one is in stage D, they need all the treatments from stages A-C. In addition, they may require:

• Heart surgery
• Heart transplant
• Ventricular assist devices
• Continuous intravenous infusion of drugs
• Palliative or hospice care

Your loved one may also benefit from therapy or from joining a support group to help them deal with the emotional toll of a serious or terminal diagnosis. As their caretaker, you may also benefit from therapy or a support group to ensure that you take care of yourself, too.

Does your loved one have congestive heart failure? Talk to our caring, experienced team at Advanced Medical Care for support in helping your loved one manage, treat, and adjust to life with CHF.