yourCare+

Managing Symptoms

What is Chronic Disease Management?
COPD
Heart Failure
Heart Failure Zone Sheet
Dizziness

Managing Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms

Watch the video below to follow Alaise and her daughter's journey with Heart Failure.

Heart Failure Zone Sheet & Daily Weight Log

What is it?

The Heart Failure Zone Sheet and Daily Weight Log can be used to help monitor heart failure symptoms.

How it can help me?

The Heart Failure Zone Sheet and Daily Weight Log tool can be used to monitor heart failure symptoms and recognize when flare-ups or emergency occurs. These tools help identify flare-ups early so that the person with Heart Failure can get the necessary treatment to keep them healthy at home and avoid trips to the emergency department.

Use questions on the Zone Sheet to know when the person with Heart Failure is doing well (green zone), when they need to call a doctor (yellow zone), and when they need to go to the hospital (red zone) based on their symptoms.

Heart Failure Zone Sheet

Asking the questions below daily can help determine which zone your loved one is in:
  • What is their daily weight?
  • Is there any change in their breathing?
  • Do you notice any difficulty participating in usual daily activities?
  • Do you notice any swelling in the feet, ankles, legs or stomach? Is this more than usual (e.g., have difficulty getting shoes on, or pants are tight around the stomach)?
  • Have they complained of any chest pain? Is this new or more frequent?
  • How many pillows are they sleeping with at night? Have they needed to sleep on a 'lazy boy' chair?
  • How is their appetite? Is that a change?

GREEN ZONE

  • No changes in weight
  • Can perform daily activities as usual
  • No new swelling of feet, ankles, legs or stomach

ALL CLEAR

Continue activities as usual

YELLOW ZONE

  • 2 pounds (1kg) weight gain/loss in one day
  • 5 pounds (2-3 kg) weight gain/loss in one week
  • Increased or new shortness of breath
  • Shortness of breath that worsens when lying down or causes them to wake up from sleep
  • New swelling of feet, ankles, legs or stomach
  • Feeling weak and tired

WARNING ZONE

Call physician

RED ZONE

  • Struggling to breathe or can't catch their breath
  • Heart is "racing"
  • Can't think clearly or feel confused
  • Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • Have sudden chest pain that won't go away

EMERGENCY

Call 911

ImageRecord weight at the same time each day
ImageLimit salt to 2000mg/day (less than 1 tsp.) and avoid processed foods
ImageNo more than 6-8 cups of fluid per day (includes water, beverages, soup)

Daily Weight Log

NOTE: IF YOU GAIN TWO (2) POUNDS IN ONE DAY, OR FIVE (5) POUNDS IN ONE WEEK, PLEASE CALL YOUR DOCTOR TODAY.
Bring this sheet along to discuss during your loved one's appointments.
log-table