Caring for Yourself
Heart Failure Zones
To help you manage your heart failure symptoms and prevent them from getting severe , review and learn your heart failure zones .
Just as the colors on a stoplight tell a driver what to do , the green , yellow , and red zones tell you how to manage your heart failure .
Every day : �
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Weigh yourself . Write it down and compare to yesterday ' s weight .
Limit sodium intake to 2000 milligrams each day .
� Take your medications as prescribed . � Check for zone symptoms .
Heart Failure Zone Action Plan Green Zone
Yellow Zone
Red Zone
911
You have : � No shortness of breath � No weight gain of more than 2 pounds in a day � No swelling of your feet , ankles , legs or stomach � No chest discomfort , pressure , or pain
Call your healthcare provider ( doctor or Heart Failure Management ) � Feel short of breath � Develop a cough or chest congestion � Gain more than 2 pounds in one day or more than 5 pounds in one week � Wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you can ' t breathe � Find it easier to sleep by adding pillows or sitting up in a chair � Have swelling in your feet , ankles , legs , or stomach � Feel more tired after usual activities � Feel restless , dizzy , or lightheaded
Go to emergency room or call 911 right away ! � Have a hard time breathing or short of breath while sitting still � Have chest discomfort , pressure or pain that does not go away with rest � Faint or pass out Get help right away — do not drive .
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