HealthInfo Aoraki South Canterbury
Self-care for heart failure
Tāu ake whakaora i te mate manawa
There are lots of ways that you can look after yourself if you have heart failure.
Do daily checks and have a heart failure action plan
This normally includes checking your weight, checking for swelling and watching for changes in your breathing.
Weighing yourself is one way of picking up if you're holding on to excess fluid. If your weight increases over just a few days, this will be from extra water, not fat. It's best to weigh yourself every morning at the same time (after you've been to the toilet, before you eat or drink anything and before you get dressed). Use digital scales and use them on a firm surface. For example, lino or tiles.
Your doctor or nurse will help you work out a target weight, which is when you have no extra fluid and your heart can work the best.
Ask your nurse of doctor to give you a Heart failure action plan to record your daily checks and give advice on what to do if there are changes.
Take your medication regularly
As heart failure is a long-term condition, you'll need to keep taking medication even when you're feeling better. This can be a nuisance, particularly taking diuretics which can make you need to pass wee (urine) more often.
If you're having problems taking your medicine, talk to your doctor or nurse about ways of making it easier for you. For instance, you may be able to take your pills later in the day if you have to go to a morning event.
Your heart failure action plan can tell you how to change your medication depending on the amount of fluid your body is holding on to.
Lifestyle changes
- Eat healthy foods and learn how to eat less salt.
- If you smoke, quit.
- If you drink alcohol, keep your daily alcohol intake to no more than one standard drink per day. Give it up completely if you can.
- Keep as active as possible. Even gentle exercise can help your heart work better. A Green prescription may help you find a suitable activity.
- Have an annual flu vaccination. Flu vaccinations are free for people with serious medical conditions or who are aged 65 or over.
- Keep up to date with COVID-19 booster vaccinations.
- Learn how to manage breathlessness.
- Keep your home warm and dry. You may be eligible for significant subsidies for insulation or heating if this is needed to keep you healthy.
- If you're Māori, consider asking your doctor if you can get support from a Community Māori health provider.
- If you're part of the Pacific community, consider asking your doctor if you can get support from a Community Pacific health provider.
Financial support
For information about funding that your GP might be able to use to reduce the cost of your health care, see Funding schemes at your general practice. See Financial support in palliative care for information on benefits available to people who have severe heart failure and are being treated palliatively.
To find out about the disability allowance benefit, see Disability allowance.
Transport and parking has information about mobility parking permits, the Total Mobility half-price taxi scheme, and other transport options.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Heart Foundation – Journeys
Stories of people who have heart failure and how they manage.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed December 2021.
See also:
Acute plans
Review key: HIHFA-27478
