Knifeless Victory / Can Heart Failure Be Treated Without Surgery?

Nonsurgical treatment methods for heart failure

Treatment of heart failure by treatment of the underlying factor:

Various factors such as coronary artery stenosis, high blood pressure, anemia, thyroid diseases, heart rate irregularities, and diabetes can lead to heart failure, the treatment of which helps to cure heart failure.

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Treatment of heart failure by modifying lifestyles:

Changing life habits often lead to recovery or control of some factors affecting heart failure. In this treatment method, it is recommended:

1. Maintaining daily physical activities and participating in rehabilitation programs.
2. Balance in the amount of fluid consumption during the day and night (considering that water accumulation in the body often occurs in heart failure, ask your doctor about the permissible amount of fluid consumption during the day and night.)
3. Quitting smoking (in people who quit smoking, there is a greater chance that the symptoms of heart failure will improve.)
4. Paying attention to excess weight (sudden excess weight can be a symptom of fluid accumulation in the body and the progress of heart failure. Check your weight every morning after urinating and before eating breakfast. Excess weight is more than 1.5 kg in one day. Day or more than 2.5 kg in a week needs to see a doctor.)
5. Cut off alcohol
6. Limiting caffeine consumption (do not consume more than one to two cups of coffee during the day).
7. Have a proper diet (eat low-fat, salt-free food rich in fresh fruits and vegetables).
8. Avoid stress (sit quietly for 15-20 minutes every day, take deep breaths, and think of a relaxing scene.)
9. Take care of your symptoms and inform your doctor about their changes.
10. Influenza and pneumonia vaccination (Influenza and lung infections are considered a big risk for heart failure patients. Annual influenza vaccination and one-time pneumonia vaccination are recommended for patients.)
11. Sexual activity: (Many heart failure patients can have their usual sexual activity. Choose for this purpose the times when you feel better and have less daily stress.)
12. Choosing the right clothes (avoid wearing tight socks and choose clothes according to the temperature)

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Nonsurgical treatment of heart failure with rehabilitation and exercise:

Regular exercise has many benefits in patients with heart failure:

Performing physical exercises by the patient increases the patient’s tolerance to fatigue, reduces the incidence of shortness of breath, and improves endurance and tolerance of physical activity. This condition enables them to do most of their daily tasks and personal tasks by themselves.

Also, physical exercises reduce patients’ depression and improve their general health. Aerobic exercises that take place in the form of walking, cycling, jogging, and especially home exercises on exercise bikes increase the physical fitness of the patient. 

Performing strength exercises by the patient not only improves strength and muscle mass but also increases muscle endurance. Physical activity has a positive effect on heart muscle function and stroke volume.

You should consult with your medical team to begin an exercise program. If you do not have the prohibited conditions for exercise, they will do an exercise test on you and select you for the type and amount of exercise.

It guides. For more guidance, it is better to refer to cardiac rehabilitation centers and start exercising in these centers first.

Patients with chronic heart failure should begin a rehabilitation program as soon as they are discharged from the hospital to ensure and prevent re-hospitalization.

Aerobic activity is usually preferred, in which the intensity and duration of physical activity sessions gradually increase. At first, the physical activity of patients should be done under the supervision of a doctor.

Examples of increasing aerobic exercise programs for patients with chronic heart failure:

During the first four weeks, the sessions start with a 10-minute warm-up at low intensity in the form of walking or cycling, and after that, the intensity of physical activity increases to moderate intensity for 10 minutes and continues for 5 minutes at low intensity. he does.

This program is repeated two times in the first week, three times in the second week, and four times in the third week.

The training program in weeks 4-8 is the repetition of the program of the third week.

There are many exercises that you can learn in rehabilitation centers and repeat in your daily life.

Nonsurgical treatment of congestive heart failure with diet:

Proper nutrition plays an important role in the health of patients with heart failure. Proper nutrition will reduce the symptoms of the disease, reduce your need for some drugs, and make the drugs work better.

It is important to pay attention to these nutritional points:

• Food salt restriction:

  • Salt causes water to accumulate in the body, and this leads to increased shortness of breath and swelling in the body, and the heart has to work harder. Salt consumption should be reduced to less than four grams per day. Observance of the following will help you to reduce your daily salt intake:
  • The daily salt you need is available in foods, so do not add salt to food at all while cooking and eating, and keep the salt shaker out of your reach.
  • To flavor your food, instead of salt, use suitable spices and seasonings such as garlic, onion, bell pepper, fresh lemon juice, basil, oregano, and savory. You can use these spices fresh or dried when preparing food.
  • Fresh vegetables and vegetable salads have little salt, and you can use them but do not add sauce to them. You can add a little lemon juice or vinegar to them.
  • Fresh fruits do not have much salt, and use them, but avoid compotes and industrial fruit juices.
  • Fresh meat, chicken and fish, yogurt and low-fat milk, eggs, beans, and rice do not have much salt, and you can consume them, but do not add salt to them when cooking.
  • Avoid industrially prepared foods such as canned goods, sausages, and smoked foods because their salt content is high.
  • Limit your intake of cheese as they are often high in salt.
  • When choosing lunch and dessert snacks, be sure to pay attention to their salt content and prepare salt-free varieties.
  • Try to be able to read the salt content of foods from their labels and choose low-salt varieties.

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• Fluid intake:

  • Most patients with heart failure can consume enough liquids (water, tea, soup, milk, etc.) (two to three liters per day), but they should be avoided. In some patients whose edema is not controlled or whose blood sodium is low, fluid restriction (less than two liters per day) is necessary, in which case your doctor will guide you.
  • A simple way to find out how much salt and fluid you consume is to measure your weight daily. Measure your weight every morning after you urinate and before you eat breakfast. Your weight should be almost constant. If your weight increases by more than two kilograms, you are probably bloated. Limit your salt intake and call your doctor.
  • Alcohol: Avoid drinking alcohol, and especially if your heart failure is related to alcohol consumption, you should avoid consuming any type of alcoholic beverage.

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• Low cholesterol diet:

In many patients with heart failure, there is also coronary artery stenosis, and in these cases, it is necessary to follow a low-cholesterol diet: avoiding butter and animal oils, using low-fat meat, removing the skin from chicken, and using oil. Vegetables such as olive oil and sesame.

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Other dietary recommendations:

You may have other diseases such as diabetes, high blood fat, gout, lung diseases, and heart failure, in which case you should get a diet plan by consulting a nutritionist. If you are losing weight, you should consult a nutritionist so that enough calories reach your body and reach the desired weight, and in case of obesity, you should consult a nutritionist.

All the recommendations mentioned above are for teaching the patient and may be changed in special cases with the opinion of the attending physician.