overview / symptoms / types / causes /
diagnosis / risk factors / treatments /
prevention / useful medicines / conclusion
Its a chronic condition in which the heart functions improperly.What does improperly mean here?The main function of the heart is to pump blood throughout the body of an individual.But in this condition the systolic (pump) and diastolic (fill) movements of the heart cannot work properly.
Here heart failure doesn't mean heart stops working or it is useless.But it means that the heart is not able to pump blood with the minimum force required to fulfill body needs.
It is a chronic,progressive condition which gets worse with time and also can be fatal.But it can be slowed down with managing our food habits and taking proper care of our heart.
Symptoms
Common heart failure signs and symptoms include :
- Shortness of breath (Dyspnea)
- Fatigue
- Swollen legs (Endema)
- Rapid heartbeats
- Weakness
Heart failure symptoms may vary from person to person
Yeah, it is common to have different symptoms then others.Some may experience pain in chest areas,some may have dry cough with phlegm,some may experience whole body tiredness,fatigue,dizziness,inability to exercise and some may experience loss of appetite.
Respiratory problems may also be observed like fast breathing,shortness of breath at night or on exercise or on lying down on ground.Some may experience bloating or water retention.Some other symptoms may include excess urination at night palpitations,swollen feet,legs and also include weight gain.
Types of heart failures
There are mainly four types of heart failures.
1)Left sided heart failure:
The hearts pumping action moves oxygen rich blood as it travels from the lungs to the left atrium,then on to the left ventricle,which pumps it to the rest of the body.In the left sided heart failure,the left side of the heart must work harder to pump the same amount of blood.
2)Right sided heart failure:
The hearts pumping action moves carbon dioxide rich blood from the body to the lungs through the veins, through the right atrium into the right ventricle.The right ventricle then pumps the blood back out of the heart into the lungs to be replenished with oxygen.Right sided heart failure is the result of left sided heart failure because the failure of later increases the pressure on the right sided heart.
3)Congestive heart failure:
CHF is a type of heart failure which requires seeking timely medical attention.As the blood flow out of the heart slows,blood returning to the heart through veins backs up,causing congestion in the body's tissues. This is the type of heart failure which results in swelling (endema).The swelling is caused in the legs and ankles and sometimes in the other parts of the body also.
Causes
Like other diseases heart failure is also associated with unhealthy lifestyle.Nowadays the modern lifestyle includes nothing but the spicy food and the effortless work.All this factors together constitute to the unhealthy body.
The primary causes include the conditions that resulted in the damaged or weakened heart.But it can also occur if the heart becomes too stiff.
Heart failure can be caused due to the results of other diseases.The most common cause of heart failure is Coronary Artery Disease or CAD. It is the disease which is associated with arteries,as the name suggests.This disease,CAD,causes narrowing of the arteries(supply blood and oxygen to the heart).
The other reasons which may cause heart failure include:
- a heart attack
- a congenital heart defect or disease
- diseases associated with heart valves
- defect in the pumping action of heart
- the persons with the problem of high blood pressure
- HIV(AIDS)
- defective lungs or the diseases associated with them like emphysema
- anemia or lower amount of blood in the body
- all the drugs and alcohol abuse
- chemotherapy due to cancer treatments
- diseases associated with thyroid gland.
All the other unhealthy eating habits also result in heart diseases.Because nowadays people love to fast food,oily and spicy food also result in obesity and weight gain.
Diagnosis
The heart failure can be easily diagnosed with the help of ECG ( echocardiogram). Nowadays it is the best technique and is available in every hospital.ECG is a device which uses the sound waves and creates the detailed images of your heart.
The doctor then uses this graph or obtained image of your heart activity, to
check the damage caused to your heart or the causes associated with your heart.Although the ECG is enough to determine the heart failure but the doctor may also use some other physical symptoms to check for it.Those other symptoms may include swelling of legs or ankles,puffing of the neck vessels,excessive sweating or also increased heartbeats,which we also discussed earlier.
Risk factors for heart failure
Nowadays heart failure is a common disease and can happen to anyone , no matter from which age group they belong from.Men are more vulnerable to this disease then women.
People with following diseases are in danger :
- anemia
- hyperthyroidism
- emphysema
- hypothyroidism
Now some may ask , why only these diseases? Let me clear you, these are the diseases which cause damage to your heart and so increase the risk of heart failure.
Our thoughts and behavior also affects our body and health.Behaviors such as ;
- eating oily, fat and cholesterol rich food
- smoking
- taking drugs and alcohol
- overweight
Treatment
Severity of your heart failure determines the type of treatment you need to take.The heart failure cannot be totally cured. The main aim of the treatment is to increase your lifespan.Early treatments will definitely improve your hearts condition. But you need to check it regularly in the gap of 3 to 6 months.
Treatments may include:
1)Exercise:
Yeah exercise is the best way to treat heart failure because exercise reduces the blocking of the blood vessels which put the pressure on the heart.The relaxed heart is always ready to bear pressure.
- this increases the blood flow or pressure in blood vessels which ultimately result in the clearing of blockages.
- this increases the pumping action of heart
- reduces the risk of other heart related problems
But the exercise is good to do only in early days of diagnosis.The extra pressure on heart may also result in heart attack.
2)Medication or Yoga:
This is also better to do in early stages of diagnosis or heart failure.There are lots of benefits of yoga and medication.Besides besides heart problems this is also beneficial to whole body and health.
- help to reduce blood clots
- lowers high blood pressure
- maintains heart activities
- lowers body fat and cholesterol level
- balances hormones
3)Surgery:
Heart failure surgery is also called as coronary bypass surgery.In this surgery the blocked artery is removed from the body and is replaced with the all new piece artery by your surgeon.Then the blood flows through the new piece of artery.Another surgery includes angioplasty.In this technique the surgeon inserts a catheter into the artery which contains a balloon.As it reaches the blocked area, then the balloon is opened which opens the blockage.But as the blockage is not removed totally the risk if blockage is still not gone.
Pacemakers are also used in some patients.Pacemakers are the devices which are used in heart disease patients to control the heartbeats and heart movements.These are mainly applied on chest to slowdown the heart rate when it beats at faster rate or to increase it when it beats very slowly.The last stage patients are treated with directly changing their heart or apart of it.So Heart transplant is the last option in surgery.
Prevention
We all know that the old saying "Prevention is batter than cure".A healthy lifestyle is the best way to avoid, not only the heart diseases, but every disease.daily exercise,good and healthy diet,losing weight,avoiding fat and oily food is nothing but the sum total of the healthy lifestyle.
The other ways which are the prime consideration are:
- reducing sodium intake
- reducing alcohol intake
- avoiding drugs and smoking
- regular yoga and medication
- well sleep
- reducing oil and cholesterol intake
- eating green vegetables
- drinking a gallon of water a day
- regular walking,cycling and running
Useful medicines
The following medicines are used to treat heart failure.
- beta blockers ( carvedilol, metoprolol ,bisoprilol )
- ACE inhibitors ( lisinopril, captopril )
- Combination medicines ( entresto or valsartan )
- Angiotensin receptor blockers ( losartan )
- Aldosterone antagonist ( spironolactone , eplerenone )
These medicines try to maintain your bodies hormone level , such as aldosterone which may damage your heart if produced in excessive amount.These also maintain your heartbeats and pumping action of your heart so that the heart failure may not happen.These also help in removing excessive body fluid which may result in hard breathing.These eventually make breathing easier and feel better.These also help in lowering your heartbeats and help yo reduce your blood pressure.
But as you know every medicine has side effects,these medicines may also result in some abnormal effects. Which may include:
- Dizziness
- changes in kidney function
- dry cough
- potassium surge in body
- nausea
- poor appetite
- some digestive problems
- headache
- swelling of hands, legs, arms or feet
- increased urination
- dehydration
- ringing or buzzing sound in the ears
- itching
- increased blood sugar level
- gout( painful condition in which swelling of joints occurs )
Conclusion
What is our aim here ? To control the spread of such a dreadful disease? No. We cant control people for what are they doing. We are just here to aware the new generation about such a disease.Our new generation which is now struck in the web of fast food and oily food.We can set them free from this web by just providing them good knowledge and spreading awareness about the junk food and unhealthy habits.
Although now all this depends on individuals mind what to choose,healthy life or medicines and hospital visits which will ruin their entire life.
What is your opinion about all this?Tell us in the comments box.....
(If you liked our article then please do subscribe our page and share it among all your friends.....and if you have any suggestions then write in comments section.Take care.)
Post a Comment