For patients with heart failure, which two actions are most important?

• A. High protein diet and no fluids
• B. Increase fluids and salt
• C. Low sodium diet and take medications
• D. Exercise only

Answer: (C)

Managing heart failure centers on preventing fluid buildup and treating the heart's function with medications. A low sodium diet helps limit fluid retention, which reduces the heart’s workload by lowering preload and edema. Taking medications as prescribed is essential because these drugs address the disease process and symptoms: diuretics remove excess fluid, ACE inhibitors or ARBs reduce afterload and prevent remodeling, beta-blockers improve long-term outcomes, and other agents provide additional benefits. Together, these actions stabilize the patient and reduce hospitalizations.

Options that push more fluids or salt would worsen edema, and exercising alone cannot replace the required medical therapy. So, a low sodium diet and adherence to prescribed medications are the most important actions.