About two-thirds of all patients die within five years of diagnosis. People with heart failure are also at risk for sudden death. However, some patients live beyond 5 years, even into old age. The outlook for an individual patient depends on the patient's age, severity of heart failure, overall health, and a number of other factors including the desire and ability to make lifestyle changes and take prescribed medications.

As heart failure progresses, the effects can become quite severe, and patients can lose the ability to perform even modest physical activity. Eventually, the heart's reduced pumping capacity may interfere with routine functions, and patients may become unable to care for themselves. The loss in functional ability can occur quickly if the heart is further weakened by heart attacks or the worsening of other conditions that affect heart failure, such as diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Heart failure patients also have an increased risk of cardiac arrest caused by an irregular heartbeat.

To improve the chances of surviving with heart failure and to enhance quality of life, patients must take care of themselves.

Use lifclinic.com to track your weight, pulse and blood pressure. Use the wealth of information on lifeclinic.com to:

The best defense against heart failure is the prevention of heart disease. Almost all of the major coronary risk factors can either be controlled or eliminated: smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

1. Get educated. Find out from your local hospital or American Heart Association chapter if there are any classes about heart failure. Having knowledge about this condition is the first step to managing it and taking control of your health.

2. Monitor your blood pressure, pulse and weight. The charting function of lifeclinic.com will help you with this. You'll be able to see graphically how you're doing day by day. Notify your doctor whenever body weight changes by more than 5 lbs. between visits. It is possible that your doctor may recommend a change in your medication.

3. Ask your doctor why you are taking these vital signs. Ask what blood pressure readings indicate that you should call the doctor or go to the hospital.

4. See your doctor regularly and closely follow your doctor's instructions.

5. Never stop taking prescribed medication without talking to your doctor. Many patients with heart failure don't understand that their blood pressure needs to be lower than that of a person without heart failure. For example, a blood pressure reading of between 120 and 130 for the top number is not good for a person with heart failure, even though it may be an excellent number for a person without the condition.

6. Know your ideal weight. This is not the figure from a height weight chart, but a number that relates to treatment for your condition. This will be important to know if you need to go to the emergency room as it may indicate a change in your condition.

7. Know everything you can about your condition. Don't rely totally on your caregiver or primary support person to take responsibility for your condition.

8. Keep a current medication list in your wallet or purse for emergency situations. Include information about any blood thinners you may be taking and any artificial implants, valves, pacemakers or defibrillators that you have. On the reverse side, write your diagnosis and your doctor's telephone number.

9. Find out what you need to do to travel and go on vacation. With careful planning, many patients with heart failure can manage traveling.

10. Find out how much alcohol you are allowed to drink. Some patients can have a small amount and others can have none.

11. Don't use any tobacco products.

12. Ask your doctor about getting a flu or pneumonia shot. These can be important in preventing or lessening the effects of disease.

Sources for this report include the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. "Tips for Living with Heart Failure" was provided with the consultation and advice of Kelley Ramsey, RN, BSN, of the University of Washington Department of Cardiology.