What lifestyle modification is recommended for heart failure patients?

• A. High-sodium diet
• B. Smoking cessation and increased exercise
• C. Sedentary lifestyle
• D. Alcohol consumption increase

Answer: (B)

Lifestyle changes are a central part of heart failure management, aiming to reduce symptoms and prevent hospitalizations. Quitting smoking and starting a suitable exercise program are the most impactful modifications. Stopping smoking lowers cardiovascular risk, improves overall prognosis, and reduces the burden on the heart. Regular aerobic activity—appropriate to the patient’s stability and guided by a clinician—improves functional capacity, quality of life, and can reduce hospitalizations. Together, these changes address both risk factor modification and physical conditioning, which are key to improving outcomes in heart failure.

Avoiding a high-sodium diet helps prevent fluid retention and edema, while a sedentary lifestyle worsens deconditioning, and increasing alcohol intake can harm heart function and rhythm.