Heart failure is a condition that occurs when the heart loses
its ability to pump blood efficiently.
What causes heart failure?
Heart failure usually develops slowly
as the heart gradually loses its pumping ability and works less
adequately. The severity of the condition determines the impact
it has on a person’s life. The mild form of heart failure may effect
very little of a person’s life, where as, severe heart failure can
interfere with even simple activities and prove to be fatal. In
the middle, treatment often helps people lead full lives.
What are the risk factors of heat failure?
Patients with high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, heart valve disease,
cardiomyopathy,
irregular heartbeats, and anemia have a higher risk of heart failure.
Other risk factors, such as
high cholesterol levels,
obesity, excess
alcohol consumption, and smoking, contribute to the aggravation
of heart failure.
What are the symptoms of heart failure?
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- Fatigue
- Swelling (edema) of feet, ankles, legs, and/or abdomen
- Persistent
coughing
- Nausea or vomiting
- Difficulty sleeping
- Decreased alertness
- Skin discoloration
- Decreased urine production
- Need to urinate at
night
- Unintentional weight gain
What are the signs or tests that reveal heart failure?
A physical
examination by a physician may uncover irregular or rapid heartbeats,
fluid around lungs (pleural effusion), dependent edema, distended
neck veins or an enlarged liver. Lung crackles or abnormal heart
sounds can be detected by listening to the chest with a stethoscope.
Decreased heart functioning or enlargement of the heart can be detected
in the following tests:
- Chest x-ray
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Echocardiogram
- Nuclear heart
scans
- Chest CT scan
- Urinalysis
- Blood studies such as CBC or blood
chemistry
What are the treatments for heart failure?
Many treatments exist
for heart failure. The goals of treatment are control of excess
salt and water retention, reduction of cardiac workload, and improvement
of the heart functions. Heart failure requires closely monitoring
of the condition by the physician or health care provider. Patients
must closely follow all of the physician’s instructions. This may
include controlling their weight, taking medication, monitoring
salt intake, eliminating smoking, and abstaining from alcohol.
Medications
may include:
- Diuretics help to relieve the build up of fluid.
- ACE inhibitors
allow the heart muscle to work easier and promote improved pumping
action of the heart.
- Beta blockers improve the pumping action of
the heart.
These medications not only improve the quality of life
and prevent hospitalization, but they have shown to prolong life.
