After a hospital stay

Heart failure (CHF) — what to watch

This card is general education, not medical advice. Your written discharge instructions and your own care team always come first. When in doubt about a serious symptom, do not wait — call 911.

Pending clinical review (v1.0) — follow your discharge instructions first.

GREEN — normal recovery

Tired more easily than usual for a week or two
Weight steady (within 1–2 pounds of the morning baseline)
Breathing feels like it did at discharge, or better

Keep the routine: daily weight, medications as written, follow-up kept.

YELLOW — call today

Weight up 3 pounds in a day or 5 pounds in a week
More short of breath than yesterday with normal activity
New or worse swelling in feet, ankles, or belly
Needing more pillows to sleep, or waking up breathless

Call TODAY — start at the top of the who-to-call chain below. Catching this early usually keeps it small.

RED — emergency

Struggling to breathe at rest, or can't speak a full sentence
Chest pain or pressure
Fainting, or new confusion
Coughing pink, frothy mucus

Call 911 or go to the ER now. Do not drive yourself.

Who to call (in this order)

The home health agency on your discharge papers, if one was ordered
The doctor or clinic listed for follow-up
The hospital nurse line, if your papers list one
Still unsure — or it feels like an emergency? Call 911. Never wait on a phone call.

Sources: American Heart Association — Warning Signs of Heart Failure · Medicare — Your Discharge Planning Checklist

Talk to a Person: (432) 901-6465

All warning signs