Heart failure

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Circulation of blood through the heart

Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

CHF; Congestive heart failure

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

Review Date: 07/17/2006
Reviewed By: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.