Heart Failure Health Center
Heart failure: Watching your fluids
Too much fluid in your body can make it harder for your already-weakened heart to pump. Your doctor may prescribe a diuretic to help get rid of excess fluid. He or she may also suggest that you limit liquids so that your body can get rid of the extra water and sodium.
Key points
- Monitoring your fluid intake can reduce complications and hospitalizations.
- All foods that melt (such as ice cream, gelatin, and frozen ice treats) and foods that contain a lot of liquid (such as soup) are considered liquids. Be sure to count these in your daily intake.
- Space your liquids throughout the day. Then you won't be tempted to drink more than the amount you are allowed.
- To relieve thirst without taking in extra water, try chewing gum, sucking on hard candy (sugarless if you are diabetic), or rinsing your mouth with water and spitting it out.
Fluid usually is not restricted in heart failure unless you have advanced or severe heart failure. Usually, restricting sodium intake alone is enough to help your body get rid of extra fluids.
However, if your doctor recommends that you limit the amount of fluids you drink and eat (fluid intake), you will need to keep track of all beverages and any foods that contain a lot of liquid. Your doctor will tell you how much fluid you can have in a day.
Test Your Knowledge
Fluid intake usually is not restricted in heart failure unless your doctor gives you a specific fluid limit.
Too much fluid in your body can make it harder for your already-weakened heart to pump and can make the symptoms of heart failure worse. Things that affect the amount of fluid in your body include:
- Too much sodium, which will cause your body to hold onto (retain) extra fluid. Following a low-sodium diet is important in preventing too much fluid from building up in your body.
- Diuretics, which help your body get rid of excess fluid.
- The amount of fluid you drink, especially if you cannot get rid of the extra fluid by limiting sodium and taking medicines.
Test Your Knowledge
It is important to follow your fluid recommendations in heart failure:
Your doctor will tell you how much fluid you should be taking in every day. Recommendations may range from about 1500mL to 2000mL, or about 48fl oz to 64fl oz per day. Here are the amounts of fluid in some common equivalent household measures:
| Household measure | Equivalent fluid ounces | Equivalent milliliters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon of fluid | 1/2 fluid ounce | 15 milliliters |
| 1/2 cup of fluid | 4 fluid ounces | About 120 milliliters |
| 1 cup of fluid | 8 fluid ounces | About 250 milliliters |
| 1 quart of fluid | 32 fluid ounces | About 1,000 milliliters (1 liter) |
It is important to know how much fluid your regular drinking glasses hold. You can find out by filling your drinking glass with water and then measuring the amount in a measuring cup. Once you know this, you won't have to measure every time.
Besides water, milk, juices, and other beverages, some foods contain a lot of fluid. Any foods that will melt (such as ice cream, gelatin, or flavored ice treats) or foods that have a lot of liquid (such as soup) should also be measured and counted as part of your fluid intake.
How to keep track of your fluid intake
One method for keeping track of your fluid intake is to have an empty container that holds the amount of fluid you are allowed for the day. As you drink fluids, put an equal amount of water into the container until you reach your fluid limit. When the container is full, you have reached your fluid limit and should stop drinking.
Another method for keeping track of your fluid intake is to allow yourself 8fl oz (1cup) of fluid at each meal [3 x 8fl oz = 24fl oz, or 3cups]. You can then fill a container with water to keep in your refrigerator that contains the balance of your fluid allowance. For example, if you are allowed 48fl oz (6cups) of fluid a day, you could have 24fl oz (3cups) divided into three meals and then another 24fl oz (3cups) in the refrigerator to drink during the day. If you drink other beverages besides water (such as coffee, juice, or soft drinks), then you would need to pour out an equal amount of water from your container in the refrigerator.
Test Your Knowledge
To keep track of your fluid intake, you should:
Which is equal to 1 fluid quart?
Talk with your health professional (cardiologist, family doctor, dietitian, or nurse)
If you have questions about this information, take it with you when you visit your health professional. You may want to mark areas or make notes in the margins of the pages where you have questions.
Organization
| American Heart Association (AHA) | |
| 7272 Greenville Avenue | |
| Dallas, TX 75231 | |
| Phone: | 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) |
| Web Address: | www.americanheart.org |
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Call the American Heart Association (AHA) to find your nearest local or state AHA group. The AHA can provide brochures and information on support groups and community programs, including Mended Hearts, a nationwide organization whose members visit heart patients and provide information and support. AHA's Web site also has health information on various heart-related conditions. |
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| Author | Robin Parks, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Associate Editor | Terrina Vail |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology |
| Last Updated | September 1, 2006 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise



