Since the body is already in a fluid retaining state, you have to always keep your salt level in your body constant. You can't have too much salt. So, if you have just a little bit of salt, you draw in a lot of fluid with it. A lot of water, so you don't get too salty inside. Since the body is already avidly holding on to water, any extra salt will make it hold on to that much more water. That can really mean the difference, like you said, between a comfortable lifestyle of not having to breathe heavily with every little step you take versus one where you're very congested and feeling miserable because you have too much water.
PAUL J. MONIZ: We should point out again that congestive heart failure refers to the heart not pumping efficiently enough, and as a result fluid is then backed up into the heart, the lungs and the other organs, which causes problems; fatigue, shortness of breath.
Doctor, you have some interesting stories about what lengths to which your patients will go to get salt. Share for us how difficult it is to get even patients with congestive heart failure off the salt habit.
SIMON MAYBAUM, MD: I think that it's not easy to adhere to a low salt diet. We understand that, but there are some patients who find it particularly difficult. We both have stories and memories of policing the floors at the Heart Failure Center and Cardiac Transplant program watching what patients are eating. We would often see a patient the next morning with decompensated heart failure who has had a pastrami sandwich or a hot dog.
AINAT BENJAMINOVITZ, MD: Or pizza.
