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Heart failure

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

CHF; Congestive heart failure

Prevention:

Follow your health care provider's recommendations for treatment of conditions that may cause congestive heart failure. These recommendations may include:

• Treat your high blood pressure with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
• Treat your high cholesterol with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
• DO NOT smoke
• Avoid alcohol use
• Take an ACE inhibitor if you have heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
• Treat arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and keep your heart rate under control.
• Treat an underlying thyroid disorder.

Also, consider the following lifestyle habits, especially if you have a strong family history of CHF:

• Reduce salt intake.
• Exercise

References:

Hunt SA, Abraham WT, Chin MH, Feldman AM, Francis GS, Ganiats TG, et al. ACC/AHA 2005 Guideline Update for the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005;46:1-82.

• Review Date: 7/17/2006
• Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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