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MEDICATIONS

Taking medications is just as important for your loved one as eating a low-sodium diet and weighing oneself. Medications can make CHF patients feel better, keep them out of the hospital, and help them live well and longer. There are different types of CHF, and different medications to take, all of which have specific purposes.

Some medications help the body get rid of excess fluids, and others decrease the strain on the heart and help it work better. Every CHF patient should get a specialized medication list, depending on the type of heart failure and any previous conditions. This medication list will contain notes about all of the pills and when to take them. The medication list should be discussed with a medical professional BEFORE leaving the hospital.

TIPS FOR MANAGING MEDICATIONS

Help your loved one write down what medications they take and when they're supposed to take them. A good medication chart has spaces to fill in any instructions, like "take with food." Keep it somewhere easily accessible, like on the refrigerator door, and always bring it to the doctor. It's easy to update if they ever need to stop an old medication or start a new one.

Try to take certain medications as part of routines- for example, take some pills just after showering in the morning and others when brushing your teeth at night. It helps to connect those pills to a certain activity.

Set an alarm or watch to help your loved one remember when to take medications.

Use a pill box to organize medications. Lay out the pills for the week and separate them for the different times that your loved one needs to take them.

Don't skip doses. Even if they're feeling better, they still need the medications.

If they forget to take a dose, never take two at once. Instead, just wait until the next prescribed time and take it then.

Keep an eye on how many doses they have left so that they order refills before they run out of medication.