Heart Failure: Watching Your Fluids
Too much fluid in your body can make
it harder for your already-weakened heart to pump. Your doctor may prescribe a
Reference diuretic Opens New Window to help get rid of excess fluid. He or she
may also suggest that you limit liquids so that your body can get rid of the
extra water and
sodium.
- Monitoring your fluid intake can reduce
complications and hospitalizations.
- All foods that melt (such as
ice cream, gelatin, and flavored ice pops) and foods that contain a lot of
liquid (such as soup) are considered liquids. Be sure to count these in your
daily intake.
- Space your liquids throughout the day. Then you won't
be tempted to drink more than the amount you are allowed.
- To
relieve thirst without taking in extra water, try chewing gum, sucking on hard
candy (sugarless if you are diabetic), or rinsing your mouth with water and
spitting it out.
Fluid usually is not
restricted in
heart failure unless you have advanced or severe heart
failure. Usually, restricting sodium intake alone is enough to help your body
get rid of extra fluids.
But if your doctor recommends that you
limit the amount of fluids you drink and eat (fluid intake), you will need to
keep track of all beverages and any foods that contain a lot of liquid. Your
doctor will tell you how much fluid you can have in a day.
Test Your Knowledge
-
Fluid intake usually isn't restricted in heart
failure unless your doctor gives you a specific fluid limit.
-
True
This answer is correct.
Fluid intake usually is not restricted in heart
failure unless your doctor gives you a specific fluid limit. Usually fluid is
not restricted unless you have severe or advanced heart failure.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
Fluid intake usually is not restricted in heart
failure unless your doctor gives you a specific fluid limit. Usually fluid is
not restricted unless you have severe or advanced heart failure.
Too
much fluid in your body can make it harder for your already-weakened heart to
pump and can make the symptoms of heart failure worse. Things that affect the
amount of fluid in your body include:
- Too much sodium, which will cause your body to
hold onto (retain) extra fluid. Following a low-sodium diet is important in
preventing too much fluid from building up in your body.
- Diuretics, which help your body get rid of excess
fluid.
- The amount of fluid you drink, especially if you cannot get
rid of the extra fluid by limiting sodium and taking medicines.
Test Your Knowledge
-
It is important to follow your fluid recommendations
in heart failure:
-
So that you can eat more salt.
This answer is incorrect.
Following your fluid recommendations doesn't mean you can eat more salt. If your doctor recommends that you limit your
fluid intake, it is to help reduce the buildup of extra fluid in your body,
along with the medicines you are taking and a low-sodium diet.
-
Because it can help maintain a normal sodium
balance.
This answer is correct.
Following your fluid recommendation is
important in heart failure because it can help maintain a normal sodium
balance. It may also help reduce the buildup of extra fluid in your body, along
with the medicines you are taking and a low-sodium diet.
-
So that you don't have to keep track of the sodium in
your diet.
This answer is incorrect.
Following your fluid recommendations doesn't
mean that you don't have to keep track of the sodium in your diet. If your
doctor recommends that you limit your fluid intake, it is to help reduce the
buildup of extra fluid in your body, along with the medicines you are taking
and a low-sodium diet.
-
So that you can quit taking your
medicines.
This answer is incorrect.
Following your fluid recommendations doesn't
mean that you can quit taking your medicines. If your doctor recommends that
you limit your fluid intake, it is to help reduce the buildup of extra fluid in
your body, along with the medicines you are taking and a low-sodium diet.
Your doctor will tell you how much fluid you should be taking in every
day. Recommendations may range from about
1500 mL (1.6 qt) to
2000 mL (2 qt), or about
48 fl oz (1420 mL) to
64 fl oz (1893 mL) a day. Here
are the amounts of fluid in some common equivalent household measures:
Fluid equivalents
| Household measure | Equivalent fluid ounces | Equivalent milliliters (mL) |
| 1 tablespoon of fluid | ½ fluid ounce | 15 mL |
| ½ cup of fluid | 4 fluid ounces | About 120 mL |
| 1 cup of fluid | 8 fluid ounces | About 250 mL |
| 1 quart of fluid | 32 fluid ounces | About 1,000 mL (1 liter) |
It is important to know how much fluid your regular
drinking glasses hold. You can find out by filling your drinking glass with
water and then measuring the amount in a measuring cup. After you know this, you
won't have to measure every time.
Besides water, milk, juices, and
other beverages, some foods contain a lot of fluid. Any foods that will melt
(such as ice cream, gelatin, or flavored ice treats) or foods that have a lot
of liquid (such as soup) should also be measured and counted as part of your
fluid intake.
How to keep track of your fluid intake
One method for keeping track of your fluid intake is
to have an empty container that holds the amount of fluid you are allowed for
the day. As you drink fluids, put an equal amount of water into the container
until you reach your fluid limit. When the container is full, you have reached
your fluid limit and should stop drinking.
Another method for
keeping track of your fluid intake is to allow yourself
8 fl oz (1 cup) of fluid at each meal [3 x
8 fl oz =
24 fl oz, or
3 cup]. You can then fill a container with
water to keep in your refrigerator that contains the balance of your fluid
allowance. For example, if you are allowed
48 fl oz (6 cup) of fluid a day, you could have
24 fl oz (3 cup) divided into three meals and then another
24 fl oz (3 cup) in the refrigerator to drink during the day. If you drink other
beverages besides water (such as coffee, juice, or soft drinks), then you would
need to pour out an equal amount of water from your container in the
refrigerator.
Test Your Knowledge
-
To keep track of your fluid intake, you
should:
-
Estimate how much you drink during the
day.
This answer is incorrect.
To keep track of your fluid intake, estimating how much you drink during the day isn't enough. It is important to carefully
measure the amount of any fluids you drink as well as the fluid in foods, such
as ice cream, gelatin, flavored ice treats, and soup. Estimating fluid intake
can be very inaccurate.
-
Keep track of only the water you drink.
This answer is incorrect.
To keep track of your fluid intake, keeping track of only the water you drink isn't enough. It is important to measure the
amount of any fluids you drink as well as the fluid in foods, such as ice
cream, gelatin, flavored ice treats, and soup.
-
Measure all beverages and all foods that have a lot of
fluid in them.
This answer is correct.
To keep track of your fluid intake, you should
measure all beverages and all foods that have a lot of fluid in them. It is
important to measure the amount of any fluids you drink as well as the fluid in
foods, such as ice cream, gelatin, flavored ice treats, and soup.
-
Drink only at meals.
This answer is incorrect.
To keep track of your fluid intake, drinking only at meals won't help. It is important to measure the amount of any fluids
you drink as well as the fluid in foods, such as ice cream, gelatin, flavored
ice treats, and soup.
-
Which is equal to 1 fluid quart?
-
8 fluid ounces
This answer is incorrect.
Eight fluid ounces isn't equal to 1 quart.
Thirty-two fluid ounces is 1 quart. It is important to measure fluids and to
know how much fluid your glasses hold.
-
About 15 milliliters, or ½ fluid ounce
This answer is incorrect.
About 15 milliliters, or ½ fluid ounce, isn't equal to 1 quart. One liter is about 1 quart. It is important to measure
fluids and to know how much fluid your glasses hold.
-
About 1 liter, or 32 fluid ounces
This answer is correct.
One liter is about equal to 1 quart, or 32 fluid ounces.
It is important to measure fluids and to know how much fluid your glasses
hold.
-
About 125 milliliters, or 4 fluid ounces
This answer is incorrect.
About 125 milliliters isn't equal to 1 quart.
Thirty-two fluid ounces is 1 quart. It is important to measure fluids and to
know how much fluid your glasses hold.
Talk with your health professional
If you have questions about this information, take
it with you when you visit your cardiologist, family doctor, dietitian, or nurse. You may want to mark areas
or make notes in the margins of the pages where you have questions.
If you would like more information on fluid intake in
heart failure, the following resource is available:
Organizations
| American Heart Association (AHA) |
| 7272 Greenville Avenue |
| Dallas, TX 75231 |
| Phone: | 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) |
| Web Address: | www.heart.org |
| |
|
Visit the American Heart Association (AHA) website for information on
physical activity, diet, and various heart-related conditions. You can search for information on heart disease and stroke, share information with friends and family, and use tools to help you make heart-healthy goals and plans. Contact the AHA to find your
nearest local or state AHA group. The AHA provides brochures and information
about support groups and community programs, including Mended Hearts, a
nationwide organization whose members visit people with heart problems and
provide information and support.
|
|
| National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI) |
| P.O. Box 30105 |
| Bethesda, MD 20824-0105 |
| Phone: | (301) 592-8573 |
| Fax: | (240) 629-3246 |
| TDD: | (240) 629-3255 |
| Email: | nhlbiinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov |
| Web Address: | www.nhlbi.nih.gov |
| |
|
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI) information center offers information and publications about preventing
and treating:
- Diseases affecting the heart and circulation, such as heart
attacks, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease, and
heart problems present at birth (congenital heart diseases).
- Diseases that affect the lungs, such as asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, sleep apnea, and
pneumonia.
- Diseases that affect the blood, such as anemia,
hemochromatosis, hemophilia, thalassemia, and von Willebrand disease.
|
|
| National Institutes of Health Senior
Health |
| 9000 Rockville Pike |
| Bethesda, MD 20892 |
| Phone: | 1-800-222-2225 Aging Information Center |
| TDD: | 1-800-222-4225 |
| Email: | custserv@nlm.nih.gov |
| Web Address: | www.nihseniorhealth.gov |
| |
|
This website for older adults offers aging-related
health information. The website's senior-friendly features include large
print, simple navigation, and short, easy-to-read segments of information. A
visitor to this website can click special buttons to hear the text aloud, make
the text larger, or turn on higher contrast for easier viewing.
The
site was developed by the National Institute on Aging and the National
Library of Medicine, both part of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). NIHSeniorHealth features up-to-date health information from NIH. Also,
the American Geriatrics Society provides independent review of some of the
material found on this website.
|
|
Return to topic:
© 1995-2011, Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
