Managing Heart Failure with the
Fairfield Medical Center
Heart Failure Clinic
What is Heart Failure?
Heart failure, or congestive heart failure (CHF), means the heart’s pumping power is weaker than normal. When this happens, the heart can no longer pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. This can cause feelings of fatigue, shortness of breath, and it may even make simple activities seem exhausting.
Signs and Symptoms of Heart Failure
- Shortness of breath
- Persistent cough or wheeze
- Fatigue or weakness
- Feeling of suffocation while sleeping
- Unusual swelling in the legs, feet or abdomen
- Sudden weight gain (3 lbs. in a day or 5 lbs. in a week)
- Increased heart rate
- Less frequent urination
- Loss of appetite
- Chest pain or pressure
Living with Heart Failure
Heart failure is a chronic disease that will need to be managed throughout your life. While this condition is among the most common causes of hospitalization, routine follow-up with your providers and healthy habits can help reduce your risk of worsening illness. This is a team approach, and you are a key player! You will also work with specialty and primary care doctors, nurse practitioners, dietitians and pharmacists to improve your overall wellness.
Referral by your family doctor or cardiologist to the Heart Failure Clinic at Fairfield Medical Center is the first step in managing this lifelong condition. For more information, call our team at 740-689-6498.
How can the Heart Failure Clinic Help?
The Heart Failure Clinic at Fairfield Medical Center is not only dedicated to treating your heart failure. It’s dedicated to helping you live your fullest life by teaching you how to manage your condition. During a typical visit, you can expect our heart failure experts to assess your current health, review current medications and confirm they are working as they should, provide you with important education and, of course, address any concerns you may have.
By partnering with the Heart Failure Clinic to manage your condition, you can also expect:
- A visit to the clinic within one week of hospital discharge
- Regularly scheduled check-ins, both in the office and over the phone
- Support in forming healthy habits in day-to-day life
- Close monitoring and quick treatment of worsening symptoms
- Ongoing communication between the clinic and your other providers, like your primary care physician or cardiologist
Warning Signs and Rules
Taking control and routinely evaluating your health can go a long way in managing heart failure. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with CHF, keep these everyday patient responsibilities in mind:
- Check your weight every morning and record the number in a chart or notebook
- Check for swelling of your ankles or feet on a daily basis
- Elevate your feet and legs when sitting
- Follow a low salt diet, and talk to your provider about what an ideal sodium intake guideline is for you
- Take all medications exactly as prescribed
- Call the Heart Failure Clinic if you feel your symptoms are worsening
In addition to these helpful tips, using the “zone approach” could help you gauge when to call your provider or seek medical attention. Ideally, daily monitoring will allow you to seek treatment before requiring hospitalization, but if you ever find yourself in the “red zone” – call 911.
Learn more about FMC’s Heart Failure Clinic by calling 740-689-6498.
