Cardiac Health Program
Heart Failure
What is heart failure and what causes it?
Despite how it sounds, heart failure does not mean the heart suddenly stops working or that, if you have heart failure, you are about to die. Rather, heart failure is a common condition that usually develops slowly as the heart muscle weakens and needs to work harder to keep blood flowing through the body.
Heart failure develops following injury to the heart such as the damage caused by heart attack, long-term high blood pressure or an abnormality of one of the heart valves. The weakened heart must work harder to keep up with the demands of the body, which is why people with heart failure often complain of feeling tired.
What are the symptoms of heart failure?
- Shortness of Breath (even during mild activity)
- Difficulty Breathing When Lying Down
- Increased Heart Rate
- Weight Gain (with swelling in the legs and ankles)
- General Fatigue and Weakness
- Difficulty Performing Everyday Tasks
What puts one at risk of heart failure?
- High Blood Pressure
- Heart Attack
- Damage to the Heart Valves
- History of a Heart Murmur
- Enlargement of the Heart
- Family History of Enlarged Heart
- Diabetes
How is heart failure diagnosed?
Physicians often order a number of tests when exploring a possible diagnosis of heart failure. The most important is an echocardiogram. This test tells your doctor how well your heart is pumping.
How is heart failure treated?
There are many measures doctors can use to help people with heart failure live normal lives. There are a number of medications that work to improve symptoms and help keep heart failure from getting worse. You should know what you can do to improve your health. This starts with knowing what heart failure is, what the symptoms are and what you should do if your symptoms change.
