Heart failure is a long-term condition where the heart cannot pump blood around the body. This usually happens when the heart becomes too weak or stiff. Heart failure does not indicate that the heart is not beating anymore. It means that in order to function better, it requires some support with treatment. Heart failure can affect people of any age, but it is more frequent in older people. There is no specific treatment, but the symptoms can be controlled for years.
Common symptoms of heart failure may include:
Shortness of breath during activity, at rest, or while sleeping
Feeling tired or weak with everyday activities such as climbing stairs, shopping, walking, carrying groceries
Weight gain
Swelling in the feet, legs, ankles, or stomach
Having trouble breathing while lying flat
Persistent cough
Lack of appetite or nausea
Increased heart rate
Confusion, impaired thinking, memory loss
If you encounter any of these symptoms, you need to visit your general practitioner as soon as possible. Call emergency medical assistance if you are having trouble breathing or experiencing chest pain.
The majority of people with heart failure have another heart condition. The most common disorders that lead to heart failure are:
Coronary heart disease
High blood pressure
Previous heart attack
Cardiomyopathy
Other causes may include:
Arrhythmia (too fast, too slow, or irregular heartbeat)
Amyloidosis (a build-up of abnormal proteins in organs)
Congenital heart condition (born with heart disease)
Anemia
Endocarditis (infection of the heart muscle)
Heart valve disease
High pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension)
Some cancer treatments like chemotherapy
Thyroid gland diseases
After a physical examination, your cardiologist may order the following tests to help define the possible problem:
Electrocardiography
Chest x-ray
Echocardiogram
Blood tests
Breathing tests
The treatment goal of heart failure is to control the symptoms for a long time and to slow down the progress of the condition. Treatment of heart failure depends on its cause.
Common treatments include:
lifestyle changes: eating a healthy diet, regularly exercising, and quitting smoking
Medication: a range of medicines can help; many people need to take more than one type as a combination therapy
Chest-implanted devices to control the heart rhythm
Surgery: such as a bypass operation or a heart transplant
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