Heart Failure Online
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Treatment > At Home
Treatment at home
Reducing side effects

   Take medications exactly as your doctor orders.

  • Do not stop taking them unless prescribed by your doctor.
  • Do not alter the dosage without checking with your doctor.
  • Take your medications at the same time each day.
  • Check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications.
  • Do not take outdated/expired medications. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the age of your medications.
  • Inform your doctor of other medications you are taking to ensure there are no unfavorable drug interactions with your new prescription.
Keeping costs down
  • Ask your doctor about generic forms of the medications you are taking as they are normally less expensive.
  • Shop around at local pharmacies to find the lowest price.
Routine
  • Take your medications at the same time each day to ensure that there is a constant amount of medication in your system at all times.
  • Check to see if your medications need to be taken with food.
  • Try taking your diuretic medication in the morning to prevent frequent urination at night. If a second dose per day is prescribed, try to take it in the afternoon.
  • Keep a medicine chart of all of your medications and times to take dosages.
  • Keep a daily weight chart.
Treating Heart Failure
Drug therapies and heart failure Drug therapies and heart failure
The importance of office visits The importance of office visits
Procedures and surgeries Procedures and surgeries
Treating heart failure at home Treating heart failure at home