What is strictly contraindicated for heart failure patients?
Dec 05, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Tian Hongbo
Introduction
Heart failure patients should avoid strenuous exercise, high-salt diets, and excessive fluid intake. Additionally, they should avoid emotional agitation, extreme dieting for weight loss, and foods with strong irritants. Patients are advised to stay warm and prevent colds, especially during the fall and winter seasons. Upper respiratory tract infections can easily exacerbate heart failure, and there is a vicious cycle in which infection and heart failure worsen each other.
Patients with heart failure should strictly avoid strenuous exercise, high-salt diets, and excessive fluid intake.
1. Strenuous exercise: Heart failure is caused by various heart diseases leading to impaired cardiac function, mainly characterized by systolic and diastolic dysfunction, poor venous return, and symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and palpitations. Vigorous physical activity is strongly discouraged because it significantly increases myocardial oxygen consumption, thereby加重 cardiac workload and potentially triggering acute heart failure episodes. Patients with heart failure may engage in mild exercises such as walking.
2. High-salt diet: Patients should minimize intake of high-sodium foods, especially pickled vegetables, preserved mustard tuber, salted duck or chicken eggs, etc. These foods can elevate blood pressure, increase cardiac afterload, and worsen symptoms of heart failure.
3. Excessive fluid intake: Patients with heart failure must carefully manage their fluid consumption. Particularly for those with leg swelling, daily fluid intake should not exceed 1500 mL. For severe heart failure patients with concurrent renal insufficiency, daily fluid intake should be limited to 500–1000 mL. Impaired kidney function in heart failure reduces excretory capacity; therefore, fluid and sodium intake must be controlled to prevent dilutional hyponatremia.
In addition, emotional agitation, extreme dieting for weight loss, and highly stimulating foods are also contraindicated. Patients should keep warm and prevent colds, especially during autumn and winter. Upper respiratory tract infections can exacerbate heart failure, and infection and heart failure often form a vicious cycle that mutually worsens each other's conditions.
