What Heart failure ➤ Know the causes, symptoms, and treatment 【Latest update 2022】is heart failure?

Heart failure ➤ Know the causes, symptoms, and treatment 【Latest update 2022】

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to nourish the various parts of the body or may refer to a condition where the heart cannot relax or expand properly to accommodate blood, leading to increased blood pressure in the lungs and increased blood pooling in the lungs. This can cause fatigue and may result in body swelling.

Causes:

Coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, rheumatic heart disease, or congenital heart defects, heart attack, anemia, excessive alcohol consumption, irregular heartbeat, viral infections, exposure to certain chemicals or drugs, and some sleep disorders.

Factors that can exacerbate heart failure include sudden coronary artery blockage, high blood pressure, respiratory infections, a fast or slow heartbeat, excessive fluid intake, irregular medication intake, excessive salt intake, and some medications such as painkillers and steroid drugs.

Symptoms of heart failure include fatigue, which may occur during rest or physical activity, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, inability to lie flat at night, and possibly having to sit up to breathe. Other symptoms may include coughing, palpitations, swelling in the legs or abdomen, and weakness or weight loss if the condition persists.

Diagnosis involves taking a medical history and identifying any risk factors that may contribute to the development of heart disease. A physical examination by a doctor is also necessary.

Further testing may involve:

Chest X-ray to determine if the heart is enlarged and if there is any fluid buildup in the lungs.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) to look for evidence of an enlarged heart or signs of coronary artery disease or arrhythmia.

Echocardiography, which uses sound waves to examine the functioning of the heart muscle, including whether it is contracting and relaxing properly, and whether there are any structural abnormalities.

Blood tests to measure levels of certain minerals, hormones, and other markers that may indicate heart disease, including BNP or NT pro BNP (Brain Natriuretic Peptides), which are known to increase in heart failure.

These tests help diagnose heart failure and track its treatment.

Treatment:

1. General treatment:

Control and manage risk factors that can cause heart failure

Provide education for patients to take care of themselves after leaving the hospital

Control water intake, not exceeding 1.5 liters per day

Limit salt intake to no more than 2 grams per day (about half a teaspoon)

Weigh oneself daily or at least twice a week to check for excess body water. If the weight is more than 2 kilograms over 3 days, consider using a diuretic or seeing a doctor

Control weight, if overweight, reduce weight, but if underweight, it may indicate malnutrition, severe and chronic heart failure

Exercise with a suitable exercise program and avoid exercises such as weightlifting or playing sports that strain the body

Take precautions to avoid getting colds or infections easily

Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking

Control fat intake

Sexual activity is possible if able to climb one flight of stairs without feeling exhausted

Get adequate sleep and rest

Travel cautiously and avoid high altitudes, thin air, and overly humid weather

2. Treatment with medication:

Newer drugs or those used in emergency and acute conditions are not discussed here

3. Treatment using special tools:

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) are tools that are implanted into patients to treat irregular heartbeats, which are often found in severe cases of heart failure. The device diagnoses the heart's rhythm and automatically shocks it to correct it, reducing the rate of sudden death.

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) pacemakers are devices implanted in patients with severe heart failure with abnormal electrical conduction, resulting in a lack of synchronization of heart contractions. By improving the electrical conduction of the heart, it helps the heart to contract more effectively, improving symptoms and reducing hospitalization and mortality rates. This device may also have a defibrillation function as in 3.1, called a CRT-defibrillator.

4. Treatment by surgery:

Treatment by surgery refers to cardiac transplantation, which is used in cases where there is no other way to treat the heart using the methods mentioned above.