Eating less sodium when you have heart failure

How does sodium affect my heart failure?

Sodium causes you to hold onto (retain) water, increases swelling in your legs, and makes it more difficult for your heart to pump. Eating too much sodium can even trigger sudden heart failure. Limiting sodium, a major component of salt, in your diet helps prevent your body from retaining extra fluid. Your doctor will talk with you about how much sodium you can have in your diet.

Test Your Knowledge

1. You need to limit the amount of sodium in your diet to:

1. Usually less than 2 grams (g) per day.
2. Usually more than 3 g per day.

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Author:	Douglas Dana Robin Parks, MS	Last Updated: October 23, 2006
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology
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