Congestive heart failure is an impairment of the heart that prevents it from filling with blood or ejecting blood. Congestive heart failure can occur after the heart has been damaged or weakened by conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy and diabetes. Approximately 5 million Americans have heart failure.
Symptoms and Treatment
Congestive heart failure has many signs and symptoms, including shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in lower extremities or abdomen and rapid heartbeat. Your doctor may prescribe medications to treat heart failure, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta blockers or diuretics. Your doctor may also recommend surgery to treat underlying causes of heart failure. Coronary bypass surgery, heart valve repair or heart pumps may be indicated. Your doctor may also recommend changes to diet and exercise as part of your treatment.
Nutrition Implications
Many people with heart failure are malnourished. They have difficulty eating and therefore may experience cardiac cachexia. Cardiac cachexia is characterized by fatigue, loss of appetite and muscle wasting. Because the heart is unable to pump blood properly, there is a decreased blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract. This may cause the food to move at a slower rate in the GI tract and you may feel full faster. Decreased blood flow may affect nutrient absorption. Side effects from drugs may cause nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
Sodium
A main component of nutrition therapy for heart failure patients includes restricting sodium. Limiting sodium prevents fluid buildup around heart or in your lower extremities. Your doctor may restrict you to a sodium intake of 2,000mg per day or less. You will need to pay attention to the sodium on food labels to determine whether you should eat a food or not. Select foods with no more than 140mg of sodium per serving, and avoid those with more than 300mg sodium. Be extremely cautious when eating at restaurants, as restaurant foods can be high in sodium. Do not add any salt to foods either while cooking or at the table.
Recommended Foods
Breads, pastas and rice are good choices if they are made with little or no salt. Fresh and frozen vegetables are OK as long as they don't have added salt or sauces. You can eat canned vegetables and soup as long as you choose low-sodium or sodium-free options. Other good foods include fresh and canned fruits, dairy products, low-fat natural cheese, fresh meat, canned tuna, beans, peas and eggs are. Only eat snacks, such as pretzels, popcorn and nuts, if they are unsalted.
Foods to Avoid
Stay away from breads and crackers topped with salt, as well as biscuits, cornbread, breadcrumbs and stuffing mixes. Avoid sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, french fries, onion rings, processed cheeses and buttermilk. Do not eat cured, smoked and canned meats. Frozen meals tend to be high in sodium, so stick to freshly cooked foods. Any baked goods made with baking soda are high in sodium. Avoid salted butter, soy sauce, ketchup, olives, relish, pickles and other seasonings made with salt.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Heart Failure: Causes
- "Nutrition Therapy and Pathophysiology;" Marcia Nelms, Kathryn Sucher, Sara Long; 2007
- MayoClinic.com: Heart Failure: Treatments and Drugs
- Cleveland Clinic: Eat Right: Low-Sodium Diet Guidelines
