If you have been suffering from heart failure, you may feel anxious and overwhelmed. You have a lot of questions after that. We can provide answers to some of these questions to recover and stay well. To begin with, it is important to take care of yourself. In the meantime, see people around you for help. Talk to your doctor for specific advice or if you have any concerns. In this article, we are going to provide you with facts about Heart Diseases but first, you have to know about what is heart failure.
What Is Heart Failure
Heart Failure is characterized by the heart’s inability to pump an adequate supply of blood to the body. All major body functions are interrupted without adequate blood flow. Heart failure is a condition or a collection of symptoms that weaken your heart. In some people with heart failure, the heart has difficulty pumping enough blood to support other organs in the body. Others may have a hardening and hardening of the heart muscle, which blocks or reduces blood flow to the heart.
Heart Failure Symptoms
The symptoms of heart failure may include:
- Excessive fatigue.
- Sudden weight gain.
- A loss of appetite.
- Persistent coughing.
- Irregular pulse.
- Heart palpitations.
- Abdominal swelling.
- Shortness of breath.
- Leg and ankle swelling.
- Protruding neck veins.
Heart Failure Causes
Heart failure is most often related to another disease or illness. The most common cause of heart failure is coronary artery disease (CAD), a disorder that causes narrowing of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Other conditions that increase your risk for developing heart failure include:
- Cardiomyopathy, a disorder of the heart muscle that causes the heart to become weak.
- A congenital heart defect.
- A heart attack.
- Heart valve disease.
- Certain types of arrhythmias, or irregular heart rhythms.
- High blood pressure.
- Emphysema, a disease of the lung.
- Diabetes.
- An overactive or underactive thyroid.
- HIV.
- AIDS.
- Severe forms of anemia.
- Certain cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy.
- Drug or alcohol misuse.
Types Of Heart Failure
Heart failure can occur in either the left or right side of your heart. It’s also possible for both sides of your heart to fail at the same time.
Heart failure is also classified as either diastolic or systolic.
Left-Sided Heart Failure
Left-sided heart failure is the most common type of heart failure. The left heart ventricle is located below the left side of your heart. This area pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of your body. Left-sided heart failure occurs when the left ventricle does not pump efficiently. This prevents your body from getting enough oxygen-rich blood. Instead, the blood returns to your lungs, causing shortness of breath and fluid buildup.
Right-Sided Heart Failure
Right-sided heart failure can also occur as a result of other conditions, such as lung disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, right-sided heart failure is marked by swelling of the lower extremities. This swelling is caused by the fluid backup in the legs, feet, and abdomen.
Diastolic Heart Failure
Diastolic heart failure occurs when the heart muscle becomes stiffer than normal. The stiffness, which is usually due to heart disease, means that your heart doesn’t fill with blood easily. This is known as diastolic dysfunction. It leads to a lack of blood flow to the rest of the organs in your body.
Systolic Heart Failure
Systolic heart failure occurs when the heart muscle loses its ability to contract. The contractions of the heart are necessary to pump oxygen-rich blood out to the body. This problem is known as systolic dysfunction, and it usually develops when your heart is weak and enlarged.
Heart Failure Treatment
Treating heart failure depends on the severity of your condition. Early treatment can improve symptoms fairly quickly, but you should still get regular testing every three to six months. The main goal of treatment is to increase your lifespan.
Medication
Always speak with your doctor before taking new medications. Some medications are completely off-limits to people with heart failure, including naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) and ibuprofen (Advil, Midol).
Surgery
Some people with heart failure will need surgery, such as coronary bypass surgery. During this surgery, your surgeon will take a healthy piece of the artery and attach it to the blocked coronary artery. This allows the blood to bypass the blocked, damaged artery and flow through the new one.