At a glance

• Keep your individual heart-failure action plan accessible.
• Monitor the symptoms and measurements your treating team selected.
• Record changes using the same method and conditions where practical.
• Contact your care team promptly when your plan says to act.

Your daily or regular check

• Notice breathlessness during activity and at rest.
• Check for new or increasing ankle, leg or abdominal swelling.
• Notice whether you need more pillows or cannot lie flat comfortably.
• Record weight only if your treating team has asked you to.
• Note dizziness, palpitations, cough, appetite, fatigue and reduced activity.

Respond using your action plan

• Compare changes with your personal action thresholds.
• Contact the named clinician or service within the timeframe in your plan.
• Continue medicines as prescribed unless your treating clinician directs a change.
• Do not independently increase or skip diuretics, restrict fluids or increase fluids.

When to book a GP review

• Breathlessness, swelling, cough or fatigue is increasing.
• Weight changes beyond the range specified in your individual plan.
• You need more pillows, cannot lie flat or wake breathless.
• Dizziness, palpitations, reduced urine output or poor appetite is new or worsening.
• You are unsure whether medicines or fluid instructions should change.

Review after changes

• Bring your record and medicine list to appointments.
• Arrange review after hospital care or a significant change in symptoms or medicines.
• Ask for a replacement plan if instructions are unclear or no longer match your treatment.

Emergency advice

Call 000 for severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, collapse, fainting, blue lips, sudden confusion, signs of stroke or another severe or rapidly worsening problem.

Rochedale Family Practice is not an emergency service.