National Heart Failure Week April 20 through 26: This is what you want to know about heart failure
From April 20 to 26, it is National Heart Failure Week. During this week, there is extra focus on recognizing heart failure and providing good care close to home. Heart failure means your heart is not pumping or filling blood as well as it should. As a result, your muscles and organs receive less oxygen and nutrition. Fluid can also build up in your lungs, legs, ankles or abdomen. Symptoms often include fatigue, shortness of breath and thick ankles. Heart failure usually cannot be cured, but with proper treatment and lifestyle you can often do a lot to reduce your symptoms. (professionals.hartstichting.nl)
What is heart failure and how do you notice it?
Heart failure does not always develop all at once. It can develop slowly. That's why it sometimes remains hidden for a while. Pay particular attention to these 5 signs: feeling tired more quickly, being out of breath faster on exertion, feeling stuffy when lying down, having thick feet or ankles and gaining weight quickly due to fluid, for example 2 pounds in 3 days. A larger belly size can also fit with fluid retention in the abdomen. Contact your doctor if you recognize these symptoms. (Grandfather)
Lifestyle in heart failure: what to do and what not to do
In heart failure, a healthy lifestyle helps. It is important to eat a low-salt diet, exercise regularly, avoid smoking, drink little or no alcohol and watch your weight. In severe heart failure, the doctor may also recommend fluid restriction. Do not use salt substitutes containing potassium, such as potassium salt, without consultation. Some heart failure medications can increase potassium in your blood. Too much potassium can be dangerous. (Home health doctor)
What medications are used in heart failure?
Medications for heart failure are available only on prescription from the doctor or specialist. Commonly used drugs are urinary agents (diuretics) such as furosemide, ACE inhibitors such as ramipril or enalapril, beta blockers such as carvedilol and sometimes agents such as spironolactone or eplerenone. SGLT2 inhibitors also play an important role in the treatment of heart failure today. These drugs cause you to excrete more salt and fluid through the kidneys, reducing the strain on the heart. In addition, they have a protective effect on the heart and kidneys.
These drugs help drain excess fluid, relieve the heart and reduce the burden on the heart. This can reduce symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and thick ankles.
Offree self-care drugs do not treat heart failure. In particular, be careful with some nonprescription drugs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac. These so-called NSAIDs can worsen heart failure by increasing the body's salt and fluid retention. Paracetamol is usually a safer choice for pain, but when in doubt, always consult with your pharmacy.
Are you coming from the heart failure clinic? Tell us
Are you under control at the heart failure clinic or have your medications been adjusted there? If so, always let us know. In heart failure, many medications interact. Think of changes in urinary pills, blood pressure reducers or drugs that affect your potassium or kidney function. Self-care drugs, supplements and salt substitutes can also play a role.
In addition, it is strongly recommended that you consent to sharing your lab values with the pharmacy. For example, consider kidney function and potassium. These values are important to assess whether your medication can still be used safely and properly and whether adjustments are needed. Without lab values, we cannot optimally monitor your medication.
If we are fully aware of changes and relevant lab values, we can check extra carefully for dosage, side effects, contraindications and interactions.
The role of pharmacy in heart failure
As a pharmacy, we help you take your medications safely and properly. We check your medications, monitor combinations and review them in conjunction with your lab values. If necessary, we consult with your doctor or specialist. Especially with heart failure this is important, because small changes can have big consequences.
The advantage of the local pharmacy is the close cooperation with your GP: we know you, your GP knows you and you know us. This ensures short lines of communication and clarity. We are the trusted pharmacy in the neighborhood, with the added advantage that with us you can also arrange a lot online. This way you combine personal contact with the convenience of digital service.
Learn more at Thuisarts.nl about heart failure and Apotheek.nl about heart failure.
Questions? Feel free to ask. We're happy to help.
