Heart failure: Taking medicines properly
What do medicines do for heart failure?
Medicines do not cure heart failure. But they can relieve some symptoms, improve your heart function, slow the progression of the disease, and reduce your risk of early death. The medicines used to treat heart failure work in various ways to help your heart and body function better. The specific medicines that your doctor prescribed for you are based on your specific symptoms, the specific ways your heart functions poorly, and how well you can manage your condition with lifestyle changes.
Several kinds of medicines may be used to treat heart failure.
- Some medicines work by improving the pumping action of the heart. This improves blood flow and helps more oxygen get to your heart and body.
- Some relax your blood vessels so that your heart doesn't have to pump so hard.
- Medicines may help your body get rid of excess fluid that builds up because of heart failure.
- Medicines may also be used to control underlying conditions (such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol) that may contribute to heart failure.
It may take some time and careful, controlled adjustments by you and your doctor to find the right combination, schedule, and dosing of medicine to best manage your heart failure. Once the best medicine program is determined, it is important to follow it exactly as prescribed.
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| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: August 25, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD - Cardiology | |
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