Lifestyle Changes With Heart or Lung Failure

Heart failure and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cannot be cured, but they can be treated to relieve symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatment also can enhance a patient's energy level, ability to exercise, and sense of well-being. In fact, many treatments can help prevent or slow the disease's progression, enabling people with heart failure to live longer and more comfortably. Everyone's situation is different - treatments that work for one person may not be right for another. Patients and families need to talk to their physician about appropriate medical or surgical treatment options.

It is important to follow treatment recommendations, including recommendations about diet and lifestyle changes, no matter what stage of the disease you are facing. Failing to take medications, or deciding to disregard dietary guidelines, can worsen symptoms and can lead to a medical crisis.

Lifestyle Changes To Improve Health

Track medications taken - time, dosage, and side effects
Watch diet - eat a balanced diet
Try to maintain daily activity
Quit smoking
Pay attention to emotional health
Get a yearly flu shot to avoid any illnesses that might complicate heart disease
Talk to the doctor or pharmacist before taking cold medicines or other over the counter medications
Keep an eye on emotional health and talk to the doctor if your loved one is depressed
For CHF, avoid or limit alcohol consumption (it's toxic to your heart muscle), limit salt intake, and read food labels to determine salt content
For COPD, avoid exposure to airborne irritants such as air pollution, insecticides, hairspray and other aerosolized products, and maintain good fluid intake

Stop Smoking!

You've heard it a thousand times - and so has your loved one. Still, it bears repeating: Stop smoking! And, if you smoke, don't smoke around your loved one. Some smokers think, "Why stop now?" But the truth is, it's never too late to reap the benefits.

Smoking is one of the most powerful irritants to the body and can quickly decrease lung function. This, in turn, will make symptoms even worse. Cutting down even on the amount of cigarrettes smoked in a day will make a difference. Ask the physician or nurse about resources to help "kick the habit."

Exercise

In general, it is best for people with heart failure or COPD to stay as active as possible. A diagnosis of heart failure or COPD usually means rethinking one's daily routines. Exercise, even in a very limited fashion, is generally good for people, even those with emphysema! This may not seem logical - putting stress on an already stressed body - but moderate exercise actually can help improve heart and lung function.

Exercise has other benefits. It can improve symptoms, reduce stress, and increase energy levels. Additional health advantages to regular exercise include weight loss, better circulation and blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels - all of which are especially important for people with heart failure.

Talk to your loved one's health care provider about appropriate exercise. Work with your loved one's care team to come up with an exercise routine that is right for him. Physicians often use stress tests to evaluate how the heart functions during exercise (either walking on a treadmill or riding an exercise bike). This test can determine how much activity will be best for your family member.