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Nobody’s heart failure treatment is the same. It depends on several factors, like the severity of your condition and your state of health. Your healthcare providers take note of these factors to create a personalized treatment plan. This plan will include one or more of the following:

  • Medical procedures
  • Medication
  • Lifestyle management

Your treatment is meant to ease your heart’s workload, prevent any further damage, and improve your heart’s function.

Medical Procedures

Some who are diagnosed with heart failure benefit from surgical procedures or those performed in a catheter laboratory, or ‘cath lab’. These procedures may accomplish:

  • Open or bypass coronary arteries. If you suffer from atherosclerosis, your healthcare provider may suggest a procedure that will open or bypass the arteries that supply the heart with oxygen.
  • Repair or replace heart structures. Heart failure may be caused by structural problems such as an abnormal heart valve or a hole between the heart’s chambers. Your healthcare provider may recommend a procedure that repairs or replaces the defect.
  • Implant cardiac devices. It may be suggested you make use of a pacemaker, internal defibrillator, or other device. These devices help to maintain healthy heart rhythm and rate, preventing changes in your heart’s rhythm that may threaten your life.
  • Replace or assist your heart. In more severe cases of heart failure, it cannot be stabilized by means other than heart transplant surgery. Your healthcare provider may also recommend an assist device such as a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD.

Medication

It’s very common that a person diagnosed with heart failure received a treatment plan including medication. Different medications produce different effects, and the medications you’re prescribed may change as your healthcare provider assesses how your body reacts to them. We recommend you learn what your medication is meant to do. Your medications likely fall into the following categories:

Medication

Description

Examples*
ACE-I/ARB therapy: ACE inhibitors or Angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARBs) Reduce stress hormones and stress on the heart’s pumping. Improve symptoms and survival rate and reduce hospitalizations. ACE inhibitors:benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace)

 

Angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARBs):candesartan cilexetil (Atacand)**, eprosartan mesylate (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro)**, losartan (Cozaar), telmisartan (Micardis),
Aldosterone receptor antagonists Remove excess fluids, block a hormone that can cause you to retain water, and reduces your body’s loss of electrolytes. spironolactone (Aldactone), eplerenone (Inspra)
Beta blockers Block stress hormones, relieve stress on the heart’s pumping, and improves heart function. Reduces symptoms and chance of hospitalization. carvedilol (Coreg), metoprolol succinate (Toprol XL)
Diuretics (“water pills”) Removes excess fluid. bumetanide (Bumex), furosemide (Lasix), metolazone (Mykrox, Zaroxolyn), torsemide (Demedex)
Minerals Replace potassium and/or magnesium that may be lost with diuretics. magnesium oxide, potassium (K-Dur, K-tab, K-Lyte, Micro K, Slow K)
Digitalis Strengthens the heart muscle, treats irregular heart rhythms, and improves ability to exercise. digoxin (Lanoxin)
Anticoagulants (“blood thinners”) Reduce chance of blood clots forming or getting worse. heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), enoxaparin (Lovenox)
Inotropes Strengthen heart’s pumping. Usually reserved for those with severe symptoms. dobutamine (Dobutrex), milrinone (Primacor)

Diagnostic Tests

Treatment Procedures

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