Objective To explore the effect of symptom management strategies applied in health education for patients with chronic heart failure and to improve their symptom management levels. Methods A total of 100 patients were randomly divided into an intervention group, who was given management strategies based on the pattern of experience with symptoms, and a control group who was given conventional care methods. Patient′s symptom levels, self-efficacy, self-management knowledge and self-care behaviors were measured respectively on admission and 6 months after discharge. Results Six months after discharge, the scores of self-management knowledge, self-efficacy and self-care behaviors in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the scores of symptom level were lower than the control group (P<0.01 for all). The readmission rate in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group, though the difference between the two groups was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion Health education based on symptom management strategies can effectively improve self-management knowledge, self-efficacy and self-care behaviors of patients with chronic heart failure, and improve their symptom self-management levels.