For Your Cardiomyopathy Patients: Knowing When to Seek Medical Care

For cardiomyopathy that has progressed to heart failure, keeping a close eye on your condition and in close contact with your care team about any changes may help keep you stable and out of the hospital.

Studies have shown that self-management efforts reduced the risk of dying or being hospitalized for heart failure by 20% and significantly improved quality of life related to heart failure as well.

Keep a daily log of your weight, symptoms, physical activity, and medication taken. This can help you quickly notice changes that may signal your condition is deteriorating. Ask your healthcare provider what to do in case of specific symptoms.

Don't wait days or weeks to report changes. These provide an opportunity to make changes in your medication regimen, for example, that could head off an acute decompensation event that would require hospital treatment.

Warning signs and symptoms that should prompt a check-in with your care team include:

• Dry, hacking cough
• Worsening shortness of breath with activity
• Increased swelling of legs, ankles, and feet
• Sudden weight gain (more than 2-3 lb in 24 hours or 5 lb in a week)
• Discomfort or swelling in the abdomen
• Trouble sleeping

Immediate evaluation is needed if the cough becomes frequent; you are short of breath even at rest; you have new or worsening dizziness, confusion, sadness, or depression; you lose your appetite; or you have increased trouble sleeping or cannot tolerate lying flat. Increased swelling of legs, ankles, and feet and sudden weight gain could also be signs of decompensation. Call your physician or 911 if these symptoms occur.

Read previous installments in this series:

Understanding Your Diagnosis of Cardiomyopathy

What to Expect When Your Doctor Suspects Cardiomyopathy

How to Prepare for Your Cardiomyopathy Appointment

Should My Family Be Checked for Cardiomyopathy Too?

Maximizing Your Wellness With Cardiomyopathy

Coping With a Difficult Diagnosis

Making the Most of Medication Therapy

"Medical Journeys" is a set of clinical resources reviewed by doctors, meant for physicians and other healthcare professionals as well as the patients they serve. Each episode of this 12-part journey through a disease state contains both a physician guide and a downloadable/printable patient resource. "Medical Journeys" chart a path each step of the way for physicians and patients and provide continual resources and support, as the caregiver team navigates the course of a disease.