Tips for Caring for People with Heart Disease at Home

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Caring for people with heart disease at home is not easy. Take note of these things to help them stay motivated and recover.

Recovering from heart disease is certainly something to be grateful for. The reason is, according to the 2014 Ministry of Health’s Sample Registration System survey, coronary heart disease is the highest cause of death at all ages after stroke. Therefore, it is important to know how to treat people with heart disease at home.

Heart disease is a health problem that is triggered by multiple factors. It could be due to an unhealthy lifestyle, obesity, exposure to cigarette smoke, or congenital abnormalities. Symptoms that arise can vary.

These include fatigue, heartburn and shortness of breath. For more, you can read this article. If you find these symptoms in yourself, immediately do an examination to the doctor.

Caring for People with Heart Disease

Setting a healthy diet for heart patients is the first thing that must be done to treat heart disease patients at home.

Choose foods to support a healthy heart, which does not contain a lot of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), can lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce weight.

In addition, similar to patients with hypertension, patients with heart disease must also limit salt consumption. For more information, you can read the following article.

In addition to managing food, what else can you do to treat heart patients at home? Take a peek at the tips below:

  • Stop Smoking

Smoking is one of the main risk factors for heart disease. This bad habit can damage the walls of blood vessels, interfering with the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart and other organs.

This activity can also lead to a heart attack because it also causes the formation of blood clots. Nicotine in cigarettes can increase blood pressure.

If sufferers have difficulty breaking this habit, consult a doctor to help them stop.

  • Maintaining an Ideal Weight

Excess weight can increase the burden on your heart. This condition is also associated with unhealthy body conditions, such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

That’s why, losing weight to be ideal is one way to take care of your heart. You can do this in various ways, for example through food and exercise settings.

  • Control Blood Pressure and Body Cholesterol Levels

Hypertension or high blood pressure can put pressure on the heart and blood vessels. Patients also have to control their blood pressure regularly.

There are several ways to control blood pressure, including exercise, a low-salt diet and trying to achieve an ideal body weight. If needed, the doctor will prescribe drugs to control blood pressure.

High cholesterol levels in the body also increase the risk of heart disease, especially bad cholesterol, aka low-density lipoprotein  (LDL). How to control the body’s cholesterol levels is to maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise.

If needed, the doctor will also prescribe drugs to control the body’s cholesterol.

  • Check Diabetes

Diabetes can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. This is because excessive blood sugar levels can damage the walls of blood vessels. Not surprisingly, when blood sugar levels are not controlled, complications such as heart disease and stroke can occur.

The way to control the body’s blood sugar levels is to exercise regularly, eat healthy and good food for body sugar levels and maintain an ideal body weight.

  • Routine Health Check

Some of the main risks for a heart attack, as described above are blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. So, if you are a sufferer of the disease, check your health regularly. Don’t let the disease get out of control.

  • Regular Exercise

Regular exercise can improve heart muscle function after a heart attack and prevent subsequent heart attacks. Some sports for people with heart disease include walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming.

Wherever possible, make sure the patient exercises every day. If you can’t, do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, five times a week. Another option is a moderate-intensity exercise for 30 minutes to an hour, three times a week.

  • Stress Level Control

Heart disease is a serious condition. For some people with heart disease, this is a difficult condition to accept that can easily trigger stress.

As a family, you have to give them support. Ask them how they feel, listen, and discuss what you can do to make them feel better. Stress that is not handled properly can lead to depression.

  • Don’t Ignore Your Own Health

When you are caring for a person with heart disease, it is very important not to neglect your own health. When you are tired, take a break. Don’t be shy about asking other people for help.

If you are tired or fall sick, you will not be able to help and provide optimal support, right?

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