Don't be too happy, don't be too sad.
In response to the question of what patients with cardiovascular diseases should do, what their diet and medication regimen should be like to have a happy and healthy Tet holiday, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai, Director of the National Cardiovascular Institute, Bach Mai Hospital, shared some important notes for cardiovascular patients during the Tet holiday of 2025.
Patients with cardiovascular disease need to adhere to the diet, lifestyle, and medication regimen prescribed by their doctor. (Illustrative image).
Therefore, cardiovascular patients need to adhere to their medication regimen, taking their medication on time and not stopping or changing the dosage on their own, even when busy.
In terms of diet, avoid foods high in saturated fat (fatty meats, fried foods), sugar (sweets), and salt (pickled vegetables, fish sauce); excessive alcohol consumption should be avoided as it can increase blood pressure and cause heart rhythm disorders.
Patients with cardiovascular disease should avoid strong emotional states such as extreme joy or sadness. Maintaining a relaxed state of mind and avoiding excessive anxiety and stress can increase blood pressure or trigger symptom recurrence.
Physical activity should be maintained through gentle exercises such as walking and yoga; strenuous activities (mountain climbing, lifting heavy objects) should be avoided.
Given the current weather conditions, Dr. Thu Hoai particularly advises cardiovascular patients to be mindful of the weather, dress warmly when it's cold, and avoid sudden temperature changes.
Avoid salty foods.
Dr. Thu Hoai emphasized that cardiovascular patients need to remember to limit salt intake and avoid salty foods such as pickled vegetables, pickled onions, sticky rice cakes (banh chung, banh tet) because they can cause water retention and increase the burden on the heart.
Additionally, patients should pay attention to their fluid intake, ensuring they consume just enough water—not too much, which can cause shortness of breath and edema, but too little, which can lead to kidney failure or hypotension. Monitor weight daily; if weight increases by more than 2kg in 2-3 days, inform your doctor.
For patients taking anticoagulants, it is necessary to limit foods rich in vitamin K (green leafy vegetables, broccoli) as it may affect the effectiveness of the anticoagulants.
Cardiovascular patients are often prescribed antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications, so their risk of bleeding is higher than normal. Therefore, they should avoid activities that carry a risk of injury as they could cause serious bleeding.
"Cardiovascular patients should remember to seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of the following signs: severe chest pain, severe shortness of breath; rapid heartbeat, arrhythmia, or feeling faint; unusually rapid swelling of the legs or abdomen; excessively high or low blood pressure; symptoms that do not improve with medication," noted Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai, Director of the National Cardiovascular Institute, Bach Mai Hospital.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/an-tet-benh-nhan-tim-mach-can-tranh-nhung-mon-gi-192250126174840295.htm
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