For patients with heart failure who have ascites or hypertension, which dietary modification is advised?

For patients with heart failure who have ascites or hypertension, which dietary modification is advised?

• A. Low potassium
• B. Low sugar
• C. Low sodium (fluid overload states)
• D. Low fat

Answer: (C)

Reducing sodium intake helps prevent fluid overload in heart failure. When the heart isn’t pumping well, the body tends to retain sodium and water, increasing blood volume, which raises preload, causes edema and ascites, and can raise blood pressure. Limiting salt lowers this fluid retention, easing abdominal swelling and high BP, and it makes diuretics more effective. A low-sodium diet is a standard recommendation for these patients. Low potassium isn’t the goal here and isn’t routinely used to treat ascites or hypertension in heart failure; potassium balance is often affected by diuretics, so altering potassium without medical guidance can be risky. The other options don’t address the fluid overload mechanism at the heart of ascites and hypertension in heart failure.

Reducing sodium intake helps prevent fluid overload in heart failure. When the heart isn’t pumping well, the body tends to retain sodium and water, increasing blood volume, which raises preload, causes edema and ascites, and can raise blood pressure. Limiting salt lowers this fluid retention, easing abdominal swelling and high BP, and it makes diuretics more effective. A low-sodium diet is a standard recommendation for these patients.

Low potassium isn’t the goal here and isn’t routinely used to treat ascites or hypertension in heart failure; potassium balance is often affected by diuretics, so altering potassium without medical guidance can be risky. The other options don’t address the fluid overload mechanism at the heart of ascites and hypertension in heart failure.