Heart Attack – Discharge

Transcript

What to do after you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure and you’ve been discharged from the hospital. It’s very important to take certain steps and measures to prevent being readmitted after you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure. Once you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure, you most likely be diagnosed and sent home on certain number of medications. It’s very important, as these medications most likely will to be new to you, to pay attention to side effects and try to maintain compliance. Talk to your doctor right away if there are certain medications you cannot take, or you don’t tolerate. Attempt to use lower doses, as opposed to stopping medications altogether. Make sure that you are seen within one week of discharge with your physician to make sure your symptoms are improved, you’re tolerating your medications. Make sure to check your weight daily. And if you’re gaining more than three to five pounds in any given day, notify your doctor, you may need to adjust your medications. Make sure you’re adhering to the diet that was discussed in the hospital. Make sure to limit salt intake to no more than two grams a day, and to limit fluid intake to one to two liters a day. If you feel like you need to come back to the hospital, you feel short of breath, lightheaded, fatigued, please notify your doctor first. It is possible we can adjust medications or do testing in the office that would prevent a lengthy rehospitalization and an inconvenience to you and your family.