A Logbook for You
A logbook for patients with heart failure and their families
Use this logbook to help you:
• learn more about your disease
• take better control of your heart failure
• keep track of your health when you are in hospital, at home, or at
clinic appointments
• know when to call your health care provider
We put a heart beside helpful and important information.
This logbook belongs to: _______________________________________
Please visit the UHN Patient Education website for more health information: www.uhnpatienteducation.ca
© 2017 University Health Network. All rights reserved.
This information is to be used for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific
medical condition. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for non-commercial personal use only.
Author: Denise Jurkiewicz RN
Reviewed: 06/2017
Form: D-5533
Your doctor has told you that you have heart failure.
What is heart failure?
Heart failure happens when your heart doesn’t pump enough blood to meet
the needs of your body. It doesn’t mean that your heart is about to stop
working. Heart failure is a chronic (long-term) disease, just like many
other diseases.
Carefully managing your health and making some lifestyle changes can help
you live longer and feel better.
What's happening to my heart?
Your heart becomes
larger because your
heart muscle loses
elasticity (ability to
return to its normals
shape and size).
This makes it harder
for your heart to
pump blood out to
your body.
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What's happening to my body?
With heart failure, you may have these symptoms:
Coughing, shortness of
breath
Extra fluid in and
around lungs
Pumping of heart
grows weaker
Swelling in
stomach area
Tiredness
Swelling in ankels
and legs
How can this logbook help?
This logbook can help you manage your health in these ways:
1. Use this logbook to keep track of your heart failure symptoms.
Keeping track of your symptoms can help you take better control
of your heart failure.
2. Learn about lifestyle changes you can make that will improve
your symptoms.
Making these changes can help you manage your disease and help
you feel better.
3. Learn where to find more information about your disease
(websites and books).
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4. Learn when it’s important to call your health care provider.
Letting your health care provider know when your symptoms change
or get worse will help them keep track of your health. For example,
call your health care provider if you gain 2 to 3 pounds over 3 days.
How do I use this logbook to keep track of my heart
failure symptoms?
You may first use this logbook in the hospital with the help of the nurses.
You can then take it home to help you keep track of your heart failure
symptoms. If your symptoms get worse, the log will help you know
when to call your health care provider.
Before you use the logbook, a health care provider will let you know your:
• target weight (your weight without extra fluid)
• fluid restriction (1.5 litres a day)
• sodium or salt restriction (2 grams of salt or less a day)
Write this information in your charts. Write down your weight and
symptoms each morning on the 1st chart. Write down the amount of fluid
and salt you have during the day. Write the total amounts in the 2nd chart
before you go to bed.
Follow these steps to fill out the log:
1. Use new charts each month. Write the name of the month on the
charts and use the numbers at the side for the day.
2. Weigh yourself at the same time every day. The best time to weigh
yourself is after you wake up in the morning and after you urinate.
• Write down your weight in the 2nd column of the 1st chart.
• Compare your weight to the previous day’s weight and your
target weight.
• Call your health care provider if you gained 2 to 3 pounds
over 3 days.
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3. Think about your breathing. Do you have more shortness of breath
when you do regular activities? Are you waking up at night because
you feel short of breath? In the 1st chart under shortness of breath, write:
• a down arrow  if your shortness of breath is the same or better
• an up arrow  if your shortness of breath is worse, increasing or new
• Call your health care provider if your shortness of breath is new or
getting worse.
4. Are you coughing? Is it getting worse and waking you up at night?
Do you have a new cough? In the 1st chart under cough, write:
• a down arrow  if your cough is the same or better
• an up arrow  if your cough is worse, increasing or new
• Call your health care provider if your cough is new or getting worse.
5. How high does your head need to be for you to sleep? Do you need more
pillows? Are you sleeping in a chair? In the 1st chart under Head position
when sleeping, write:
• a down arrow  if your head is in the same position as the night
before or lower
• an up arrow  if you had to raise your head higher to sleep, or
if this is a new problem
• Call your health care provider if this is a new problem or it’s
getting worse.
6. Look at your legs, ankles, hand, fingers, and belly. Are they more swollen?
Are they less swollen? Are they the same? In the 1st chart under Ankle, leg,
belly, hand or finger swelling, put:
• a down arrow  (and write the body part) if the swelling is the
same or better
• an up arrow  (and write the body part) if the swelling is worse
or if this is a new problem
• Call your health care provider if this is a new problem or it’s
getting worse.
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7. Write down how many millilitres you drink during the day. At the end
of the day, compare this amount with your fluid restriction. If it’s the
same, write an equal ( = ) sign. If the amount isn’t the same, record it
in the 2nd chart under Fluid restriction. Write the amount you were
over or under with a plus ( + ) or minus ( - ) sign.
8. Write down how much salt you have during the day. At the end of
the day, compare this amount with your sodium or salt restriction.
If you ate any high salt foods, write it down in the 2nd chart under
Salt restriction.
If you were over your fluids or ate some salty foods, your weight may
increase over the next day or 2.
9. Write down any changes in your water medicines in the last column
on the 2nd chart. For example, if you called your health care
provider and they increased your dose of Lasix, please write this
under Changes to my water medicines.
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Chart 1: Keeping track of your heart health
Month:
Day
Target Weight:
Weight
Signs and symptoms of your heart health
(use a  or )
Shortness Cough
of breath
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
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Head position Ankle, leg, belly, hand
when sleeping or finger swelling
Chart 2: Keeping track of your fluids, salt and medicines
Month:
Day
Fluid Restriction:
Salt restriction ;
(use =, + or - )
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
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Changes to my water medicines
What kind of lifestyle changes will improve my symptoms?
• Take all the medicines your doctor prescribed you.
Talk with your doctor first before stopping any medicines. If you are
having uncomfortable side effects from a medicine, your doctor can
recommend another one that’s better for you.
Don’t take any over-the-counter medicines, herbal supplements such
as ginseng, or painkillers such as Motrin® (Ibuprofen), without asking
your health care provider first.
If you are feeling better, it could be because of your medicines.
So, don’t stop taking them.
• Make sure you have enough refills of your prescriptions so your
medicines don’t run out.
Ask your doctor to renew your medicines before they
run out. Ask your pharmacist to put your medicines in
blister packs. This can make it easier for you to keep
track of them.
• Follow a low sodium (salt) diet.
A low salt diet should include only
2 grams of sodium a day or less. If you
need advice on how to follow this diet,
ask to see the dietitian before you go
home from hospital. The dietician can also
help you include a low sodium diet with
another diet you may already be on.
Read the Nutrition Facts on packages of
food when you go grocery shopping to
find out how much sodium there is in a
serving. Products with a serving size of
sodium less than 5% are good choices.
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It takes about 2 to 3 months for your body to get used to the taste of no salt.
• Try to lose weight if you are overweight.
Your heart has to work harder and you feel more tired when you
are overweight. For every pound you lose, you can reduce your
blood pressure and lower the amount of work your heart has to do.
Talk to a dietitian about your B.M.I. (body mass index) and what
a healthier weight would be for you. Then get advice on how to
adjust your diet to reach this goal.
• Ask your nurse or doctor about exercise.
Talk to them about how much exercise you should
do and when you can start. There are also many heart
rehabilitation clinics that have exercise programs that
are right for you. Their information can help you begin
your own exercise program.
• Follow your fluid restriction.
Make sure you follow your instructions for the exact amount
you can drink each day. If you are not sure, ask your doctor or nurse.
Be careful if you are taking water tablets. Don’t drink extra fluids
to replace the water lost (when you urinate) while using these medicines.
Only drink the amount you were told each day.
• Try to quit smoking.
There are many aids and smoking cessation (quit smoking)
classes to help you stop. Ask your health care provider what
would be best to help you.
• Avoid alcohol.
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One lifestyle change I promise to make:
_______________________________________________________________
I will start this goal: Date _________________
What I will do to help me make this change:
Were can I find more information about heart failure and
what will help?
Websites:
www.heartfailurematters.org
www.abouthf.org
www.uhnpatienteducation.ca – search heart failure
Books:
Success with Heart Failure by Marc Silver M.D.
The No-Salt Lowest Sodium Cookbook by Donald A. Gazzaniga
100 Questions and Answers about Congestive Heart Failure by Campion Quinn
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When do I need to call my health care provider?
Call your health care provider if you:
• do fewer activities because you are tired and/or short of breath
more often
• gain 2 to 3 pounds over 3 days
• have increased or new swelling in your feet, legs, hands or belly
• have a new cough or your cough is getting worse
• feel dizzy or light headed
Call 911 if you have chest pain that does not get better after
3 sprays of nitroglycerin and you have severe shortness of
breath that does not go away with rest.
Important phone numbers:
Family Doctor______________________________________________
Cardiologist_________________________________________________
Other number_______________________________________________
Remember to always ask your health care provider to explain any
information that you don't understand.
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Questions I have for my health care team:
My questions:
Answers:
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