 My name is Lance Berger. I'm a cardiologist here at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. I'm director of the ECHO Lab and I'm involved with the heart failure center here at Jersey Shore. Heart failure is when the heart can't meet the demands of the body. In other words, in about half the time the heart can't pump enough blood and another half of the patients, it does not relax properly. People often ask me what to expect when they have heart failure and I tell them to expect to live your life to the fullest. The reality is I have many people with heart failure who live outstanding lives. They're able to do everything they want to do with very little restriction. Many years ago I had a patient who actually served active duty in the military with heart failure. I don't think the diagnosis should limit you. Your symptoms may limit you, but the diagnosis should not. If you've been diagnosed with heart failure, it's important that you stay away from certain medications. It's very easy to go out to the drugstore and buy a bottle ibuprofen or an aproxen. Those medications should be avoided if you have congestive heart failure because they can bring on an exacerbation of your heart failure. It can actually cause things to be worse. If you gain three to five pounds in the course of a week in a short period of time, notify your physicians. I've had many patients report to me that they gain this three to five pounds. We adjust their medications, they get better, and we avoid a hospitalization. It's important to pay attention to your diet. We know about four out of five hospital admissions are related to either inability to follow your diet or by taking medications such as these non-steroid ones. And so by avoiding these pitfalls, we can actually prevent many hospitalizations. It's important to note that the cardiovascular specialists here at Hackensack Marine Health have the expertise needed to get you on the road to recovery.