Review: If you're new to heart failure, this is a good source of basic information
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 13, 2013
As someone who has dealt with congestive heart failure for the last seven years, I have direct and personal knowledge of the damage this disease causes and how to live with it.The author writes from the position of a mother with a son with congestive heart failure, and provides of lot of basic information about the disease. A concise guide to those who are facing heart failure, it includes information about common medications and their side effects, the benefits of nutrition and dietary supplements, the danger of salt, and lifestyle changes to implement. The book is written in a casual and easy-to-understand style.Pros:* The information in this ebook provides a good, basic survey of the disease, with descriptions of how heart failure works and the types that can be diagnosed.* The facts are correct, well-researched and well-organized.* Each one of the proposed lifestyle changes will help halt the progression of the disease. The nutritional section is helpful, if short, and will  guide you though the maze of foods and supplements without overwhelming the reader.* Supplements are covered in detail, with links to website the author has found that offer good prices.* Lifestyle suggestions are excellent and are critical to surviving with heart failure.* The section on the pharmaceutical industry is horrifying, but serves as a warning to know the reason that each medication is prescribed, and to object if something feels "off".Cons:* Needs a deeper level of information about medication management to avoid the  "prescription whirlwind," where doctors try various brands to see which works best and forgot to stop the ineffective ones.* There is no real guidance on exercise, which is vital to delay the progression of the disease.  A good cardiac rehabilitation program can provide a solid and appropriate regime.* A little too much emphasis is placed on supplements, as opposed to a healthy natural diet. A nutritionist's advice would prove hugely helpful.* Could use another editing pass to reduce run-on sentences and some awkward wording, but I saw no misspellings, and the formatting is good.* Lastly, the book needs more references to high-quality informational websites and support forums. Thoughtful curation of the dozens of sites would be helpful.Overall, this ebook is worth the price and the time to read for those who face this terrible diagnosis for the first time.