A diagnosis of heart failure might seem overwhelming and although your outlook is related to your age, the severity of your disease and your overall health, it also depends on what you do to reduce your risk.
Self-care
Self-care is an integral part of daily life. It means that you take responsibility for your own health and wellbeing with support from the people involved in your care. Self-care includes the things you do each day in order to stay fit, maintain good physical and mental health, prevent illness or accidents, and effectively deal with minor ailments and long-term conditions.
People living with long-term conditions can benefit enormously if they receive support for self-care. They can live longer, have less pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue, have a better quality of life and are more active and independent.
Take your medication
It's important to take your medication as prescribed, even if you start to feel better. Continuous medication can help to prevent symptoms from getting worse. If you have any questions or concerns about the medication you're taking or side effects, talk to your healthcare team.
It may also be useful to read the information leaflet that comes with the medication about possible interactions with other drugs or supplements. It's worth checking with your healthcare team if you plan to take any over-the-counter remedies, such as painkillers or any nutritional supplements. This is because they can sometimes interfere with your medication.
Regular reviews
Because heart failure is a long-term condition, you will be in contact with your healthcare team regularly. A good relationship with the team means that you can more easily discuss your symptoms or concerns. The more the team knows, the better it can help you.
Keeping well
Everyone with heart failure is encouraged to get a yearly flu jab each autumn to protect against flu (influenza). It's also recommended that they get an anti-pneumoccocal vaccination, a one-off injection that protects against a specific serious chest infection called pneumococcal pneumonia.
Living healthily
A healthy diet and regular physical activity can help improve your symptoms and help prevent other conditions, including some forms of cancer. Try to eat a healthy balanced diet containing all the food groups in order to give your body the nutrition it needs. Exercising regularly can help to relieve stress and reduce fatigue.
Stop smoking
Giving up smoking can improve your health overall, prevent further damage to your lungs and reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer.
Research has shown that you are up to four times more likely to quit smoking if you use NHS support along with stop-smoking medicines, such as patches or gum. Ask your doctor about this or see NHS Smokefree.
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