What is congestive heart failure and how is it treated?
Jul 20, 2021 · Not drinking alcohol or using recreational drugs. Taking an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor blocker, and beta blockers if you have coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or other vascular or cardiac conditions. Preventing Heart Failure With Lifestyle Changes.
What are some remedies for congestive heart failure?
Congestive heart failure (also called heart failure) is a serious condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as efficiently as it should. Despite its name, heart failure doesn’t mean that the heart has literally failed or is about to stop working. Rather, it means that the heart muscle has become less able to contract over time or has ...
How do you treat congestive heart failure naturally?
Jimena Roquero/Stocksy United. CHF, also called heart failure, occurs when the heart muscle has become damaged or has to work too hard because of heart disease and other conditions, such as obesity.Although the heart continues to beat, the damaged heart does not pump enough oxygen-rich blood around the body, resulting in potentially life threatening congestion in the lungs and …
What are the five early signs of congestive heart failure?
Mar 24, 2022 · Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is a condition that develops when your heart doesn’t pump enough blood for your body’s needs. This can happen if your heart can’t fill up with enough blood. It can also happen when your heart is too weak to pump properly. The term "heart failure" does not mean that your heart has stopped.
What is the first line treatment for congestive heart failure?
Loop diuretics should be used as first-line agents, with thiazides added for refractory fluid overload. Diuretic treatment should be combined with a low-salt diet,8 a β-blocker, and an ACE inhibitor. The practitioner should begin with oral furosemide, 20 to 40 mg once daily.
Which of the following is a treatment for congestive heart failure?
Doctors usually treat heart failure with a combination of medications. Depending on your symptoms, you might take one or more medications, including: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. These drugs relax blood vessels to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow and decrease the strain on the heart.Dec 10, 2021
What are the 4 types of treatments for heart problems?
Treatment & CareCPR. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation -- CPR -- is one link in what the American Heart Association calls the chain of survival. ... Stents. Get information about why they're used and what types are available.Angioplasty and Stents. ... Heart Bypass Surgery. ... Valve Disease Treatment. ... Cardioversion. ... EECP. ... Pacemakers.More items...
What are the 4 stages of congestive heart failure?
There are four heart failure stages (Stage A, B, C and D). The stages range from "high risk of developing heart failure" to "advanced heart failure."...Stage CShortness of breath.Feeling tired (fatigue).Less able to exercise.Weak legs.Waking up to urinate.Swollen feet, ankles, lower legs and abdomen (edema).Jan 21, 2022
What is the best treatment for heart failure?
Surgery. Medicines are the main treatment for heart failure, but for some people surgery may help. Operations that can help with heart failure include: heart valve surgery.
What are the 4 treatments for coronary heart disease?
Various drugs can be used to treat coronary artery disease, including:Cholesterol-modifying medications. ... Aspirin. ... Beta blockers. ... Calcium channel blockers. ... Ranolazine. ... Nitroglycerin. ... Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).Jun 5, 2020
What are the 4 types of heart disease?
Coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, heart valve disease and heart failure are the four most common types of heart disease.Nov 12, 2020
Which of the following is a treatment for heart disease?
In general, treatment for heart disease usually includes: Lifestyle changes. You can lower your risk of heart disease by eating a low-fat and low-sodium diet, getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake. Medications.Feb 9, 2021
What is congestive heart failure?
Dr. Steven Jones. Congestive heart failure (also called heart failure) is a serious condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as efficiently as it should . Despite its name, heart failure doesn’t mean that the heart has literally failed or is about to stop working. Rather, it means that the heart muscle has become less able to contract ...
How many people have congestive heart failure?
With or without treatment, heart failure is often and typically progressive, meaning it gradually gets worse. More than 5 million people in the United States have congestive heart failure. It’s the most common diagnosis in hospitalized patients over age 65. One in nine deaths has heart failure as a contributing cause.
What type of pacemaker is used for congestive heart failure?
Some congestive heart failure patients are candidates for a type of pacemaker called biventricular pacing therapy , which helps both sides of the heart work in concert, or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, which shocks the heart into converting a potentially fatal fast rhythm to a normal one.
What is the difference between a chest X-ray and a BNP blood test?
Chest X- ray: A picture of the heart, lungs and other chest structures that reveals whether the heart is enlarged or there are signs of lung damage. BNP blood test: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a hormone that is a marker of severity and prognosis of heart failure. Echocardiogram: An ultrasound image of the heart.
Why are African Americans at increased risk of congestive heart failure?
Among their recent findings: African-Americans are at increased risk of congestive heart failure. This is due to diabetes and high blood pressure, rather than race alone.
Why does my heart beat so fast?
The heart beats faster to take less time for refilling after it contracts—but over the long run, less blood circulates, and the extra effort can cause heart palpitations . The heart also enlarges a bit to make room for the blood. The lungs fill with fluid, causing shortness of breath.
What is the difference between echocardiogram and Holter monitor?
It’s different from another test, a Doppler ultrasound, which gives a picture of blood flow to the heart and lungs. Holter monitor: A measurement of your heart’s electrical activity, taken by a portable device that you wear for a day or two.
What does it mean when your heart doesn't pump?
It doesn't mean the heart has "failed" or stopped working. It means the heart doesn't pump as well as it should. Heart failure is a major health problem in the United States, affecting about 5.7 million Americans. About 550,000 new cases of heart failure occur each year.
How to improve heart health?
It is up to you to take steps to improve your heart health. Take your medications as instructed, follow a low-sodium diet, stay active or become physically active, take notice of sudden changes in your weight, live a healthy lifestyle, keep your follow-up appointments, and track your symptoms.
What is the term for a heart muscle that is damaged by a virus?
Cardiomyopathy . Cardiomyopathy is a term that describes damage to and enlargement of the heart muscle not caused by problems with the coronary arteries or blood flow. Cardiomyopathy can occur due to many causes, including viruses, alcohol or drug abuse, smoking, genetics and pregnancy (peripartum cardiomyopathy).
Why can't the ventricles relax?
Because of this, the ventricles can't relax properly and fill up all the way. Because there's less blood in the ventricles, less blood is pumped out to the rest of the body when the heart contracts. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission.
What is the EF of the left ventricle?
The left ventricle is the heart's main pumping chamber. Your EF is expressed as a percentage. An EF that is below normal can be a sign of heart failure. If you have heart failure and a lower-than-normal (reduced) EF (HF-rEF), your EF helps your doctor know how severe your condition is.
What does it mean when your blood pressure is high?
If you have high blood pressure, it means the pressure in your arteries is higher than normal. When blood pressure is high, your heart has to pump harder to move blood to the body.
What happens when your kidneys don't filter enough blood?
Swelling in your ankles, legs and abdomen; weight gain. When your kidneys don't filter enough blood, your body holds onto extra fluid and water.
What causes congestive heart failure?
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is often the result of severe coronary artery disease, which decreases blood flow to the heart. Pulmonary hypertension — a buildup of pressure in the blood traveling from the heart to the lungs — can also cause CHF. Other causes of CHF often may include:
How to heal heart failure?
Recovery. Lifestyle changes — such as quitting smoking, exercising, and managing your diet — can all help ease the workload of your heart. Medical management — the mainstay of heart failure treatment — provides the recovery path leading to healing of the heart. Repair.
How much weight can you gain with congestive heart failure?
These self-management skills include: Weighing yourself and recording your weight daily, reporting any gains of more than 2-3 pounds over two days or 4-5 pounds over one week to your doctor.
What causes CHF in a patient?
Other causes of CHF often may include: A previous heart attack, which weakens the muscle tissue in the heart. For an appointment with an expert at UPMC's Advanced Heart Failure Center, call the Heart and Vascular Institute at 1-855-876-2484 or complete an appointment request form.
What causes a person to have a high heart rate?
Other causes of CHF often may include: 1 A previous heart attack, which weakens the muscle tissue in the heart 2 Prolonged high blood pressure 3 Cardiomyopathy 4 Abnormal heart valves 5 Congenital heart disease 6 Alcohol and drug abuse 7 Certain kinds of infections
Can you take all the medications your doctor prescribes?
Taking all the medications your doctor prescribes. Your doctor can also provide recommendations for limiting your fluid intake, getting regular exercise, and quitting smoking, all of which can help manage your heart failure. CardioMEMS™ HF System. Select patients may be eligible for the CardioMEMS™ HF System.
Can you have a heart transplant if you are too ill?
Unfortunately, there are not enough suitable donor organs for all of the patients waiting for a heart transplant. People who are listed for heart transplantation and are too ill to wait any longer, or are expected to have prolonged wait times, are referred for a VAD as a bridge to transplantation.
Overview
- Hydralazine (Apresoline) is a smooth muscle arterial vasodilator that may be used for congestive heart failure. Clinical trial data has shown hydralazine plus nitrates to be especially effective in African-Americans with heart failure, when used in addition to ACE inhibitors or ARBs.
- Congestive heart failure is a broad medical term that means that a dog’s heart can’t deliver enough blood to his or her body. It can be caused by a failure of the left side, right side, or both sides of the heart. When the heart starts to fail in its ability to pump enough blood, the body can usually compensate to ensure that tissues receive the blood and oxygen they need. As the disea…
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a very serious heart condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the bodys circulatory needs. Even though congestive heart failure condition typically worsens over time, it is possible to live with the disease for many years.
Treatment
- There’s no cure for heart failure. Treatment aims to relieve symptoms and slow further damage. TheI exact plan depends on the stage and type of heart failure, underlying conditions and the individual patient. Among the components of a treatment plan: Lifestyle changes. These are the same changes as those for preventing heart failure. In addition, you may be advised to avoid sal…
- Clinical trials have not yet identified effective treatments for HFpEF. An article published in Current Cardiology Reports in 2014 compares clinical characteristics and risk factors in recent larger clinical trials.Thus, recommendations are based on expert consensus opinion and focus on treatment of hypertension and maintaining appropriate intravascular volume. Aldosterone antag…
- While there are reports that suggest taking non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may improve the cough caused by ACE inhibitors, in the large majority of people who have this problem, the drug has to be discontinued. Often, the ACE inhibitor can be switched to an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), which has many of the same advantages as the ACE in…
- Diuretics (water pills): The buildup of fluid is usually treated with a diuretic. These above-mentioned medications can be very effective in treatment of patients with systolic heart failure. There are not many successful therapies proven with clinical trial results available for patients with diastolic heart failure. Patients with diastolic heart failure are often prescribed these medic…
Signs And Symptoms
- Coughing that is caused by heart failure can take several forms. A wet cough producing frothy sputum that may be tinged pink with blood is quite common with heart failure. Heavy wheezing and labored breathing can also accompany spells of coughing, along with a bubbling feeling in the chest or even a whistling sound from the lungs. Impressive coughing symptoms like this usually …
- Always take chest pain seriously. Congestive heart failure, per se, usually does not cause chest pain. However, remember other serious conditions that cause chest pain, such as angina and myocardial infarction, can coexist with heart failure.
- The first symptom of heart failure often is fatigue. As the condition worsens, shortness of breath and wheezing occur during exertion. Eventually, shortness of breath and wheezing occur when you are resting. As fluid accumulates in the lungs, people with heart failure may begin to sleep propped up with pillows. This makes breathing easier. There also can be a chronic cough due to …
- Patients with heart failure can have decreased exercise tolerance with dyspnea, fatigue, generalized weakness, and fluid retention, with peripheral or abdominal swelling and possibly orthopnea.3 Patient history and physical examination are useful to evaluate for alternative or reversible causes (Table 1).3,4,8 Nearly all patients with heart failure have dyspnea on exertion. …
Diagnosis
- There’s no one test to diagnose heart failure. Your doctor will consider your medical history, family history, a physical exam and the results of various tests. These tests can include: 1. Electrocardiogram (EKG): A painless test that gives information about your heart’s electrical activity, including how fast it beats and whether you’ve had previous heart attacks. 2. Chest X-ra…
- The most common complaints at presentation are exertional dyspnea and fatigue. Currently, three criteria must be met to establish the diagnosis: 1. Clinical symptoms consistent with heart failure 2. Preserved EF (at least 50 percent) 3. Evidence of cardiac dysfunction\"Objective evidence of cardiac dysfunction is the most controversial point and a topic of intense investigation,\" says Dr…
- Cardiac cough is an important sign that heart failure is worsening. In most cases, this symptomand the worsening heart failurewill respond to an adjustment in heart failure therapy. For this reason, people with heart failure should never ignore the onset of cough.
- Congestive heart failure CHF can be confused with other illnesses that cause breathing difficulties, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, and asthma. Talking to a medical professional, along with receiving a physical exam and tests available only at a medical office or hospital, are necessary to make an definitive diagnosis. Some of the most useful tests are menti…
Causes
- Ironically, coughing also is a common adverse effect of a class of medication that's frequently prescribed for heart failure: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. ACE inhibitors are helpful for heart failure because they dilate the arteries, making it easier for the heart to pump blood.
- CAD is the underlying etiology in up to 60 to 70 percent of patients with systolic heart failure,5,6 and a predictor for progression from asymptomatic to symptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Hypertension and valvular heart disease are significant risk factors for heart failure, with relative risks of 1.4 and 1.46, respectively.6 Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of heart fail…
- When the heart starts to fail in its ability to pump enough blood, the body can usually compensate to ensure that tissues receive the blood and oxygen they need. As the disease increases in severity, these compensatory mechanisms become overwhelmed. The heart is then unable to pump enough blood to the body, so fluid backs up, most often into the lungs, causing congestio…
Pathophysiology
- At a cellular level, cardiac myocytes in patients with HFpEF are thicker and shorter than normal myocytes, and collagen content is increased. Recent histologic studies have shown reductions in myocardial capillary density that may contribute. At the organ level, affected individuals may have concentric remodeling with or without hypertrophy, although many people have normal ventricul…
- Heart failure is defined by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology as a complex clinical syndrome that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the ventricle to fill with or eject blood.3 As cardiac output decreases because of stresses placed on the myocardium, activation of the sympathetic nervous and renin-angioten…
- Heart failure refers to the syndrome that develops as a result of the hearts inability to pump out enough blood to maintain an adequate blood circulation. In heart failure, the cardiac output is reduced and as the condition progresses, the bodys tissues become filled with fluid. This swelling or congestion of the tissue spaces (fluid overload) is the reason why heart failure is also known …
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a clinical syndrome in which the heart fails to pump blood at the rate required by the metabolizing tissues or in which the heart can do so only with an elevation in filling pressure. The heart's inability to pump a sufficient amount of blood to meet the needs of the body's tissues may be a result of insufficient or defective cardiac filling and/or impaired contract…
Prognosis
- One common problem with heart failure is that, due to the heart's inefficient pumping ability, blood returning to the heart from the lungs tends to back up, producing pulmonary congestion. This is why people with heart failure are often said to have \"congestive heart failure.\"
- The outlook depends on: 1. Patient's age 2. Severity of the heart failure 3. Severity of the underlying heart disease 4. Other factors When heart failure develops suddenly and has a treatable cause, people sometimes can regain normal heart function after treatment. With appropriate treatment, even people who develop heart failure as a result of long-standing heart d…
- 1. Prognosis is poor on the whole, with approximately 50% of people with heart failure dying within five years of diagnosis. 2. The mortality rate in the UK appears to be improving. The UK National Heart failure audit found the mortality of patients hospitalised with heart failure to be lower in 2015-2016 at 8.9% compared to 9.6% in the previous year's report. However, the report comment…
- Most types of heart disease if left untreated can lead to heart failure. Many other conditions that directly or indirectly affect the heart can also result in heart failure. If these conditions can be adequately treated, heart failure can be halted. However, after a long period of time, the bodys compensatory mechanisms to maintain a normal cardiac output may cause irreversible damag…
Prevention
- The best way to avoid congestive heart failure is to avoid the conditions that contribute to it, or to carefully manage these conditions if they develop, says Jones. 1. Stop smoking—better yet, don’t start. It’s a major factor in the arterial damage that can cause heart failure. Also steer clear of secondhand smoke. 2. Eat in heart-healthy ways. The foods that help you are those that contain …
- If a person has congestive heart failure, they are at increased risk of developing pneumonia. They probably should receive both the pneumonia vaccination and annual flu shots. Patients should ask their doctor or other health care professional to be sure.
- To avoid heart failure, you must prevent the various forms of heart disease that lead to it. To prevent heart disease: 1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet 2. Control your blood pressure and cholesterol level 3. Maintain a normal body weight 4. Exercise regularly 5. Don't smoke 6. Limit alcohol use to one to two drinks per day Some types of heart failure cannot be prevented.
- There is no known means of prevention of canine congestive heart failure except through judicious breeding programs designed to eliminate any hereditarily affected animals from the gene pool. This article has been reviewed by a Veterinarian.
Definition
- Congestive heart failure is a broad medical term that means that a dogs heart cant deliver enough blood to his or her body. It can be caused by a failure of the left side, right side, or both sides of the heart.
- Heart failure is a broad term—often used interchangeably with congestive heart failure (CHF)—to describe the heart's inability to consistently pump enough blood to the body's organs and tissues. Heart failure occurs either from a structural or a functional abnormality. Since blood carries oxygen and vital nutrients to cells throughout the body, a decrease in blood supply interferes wit…
Epidemiology
- 1. Currently around 920,000 people in the UK have a diagnosis of heart failure. 2. Prevalence in developed countries is approximately 1-2% of the adult population, increasing to 10% or more in those over 70 years of age. 3. It is increasingly prevalent with increasing age. The average age at diagnosis is 77. 4. People with HFpEF are more likely to be older and female than those with HFr…
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is one of the most common reasons for hospital admission in the United States and most Western European countries. The most common cause is coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction (heart attack). Hypertension and what is called hypertensive heart disease is next on the list. Patients with congestive heart failure have a markedly increase…
