FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
What
is heart failure and
what causes it?
Despite
how it sounds, heart failure
does not mean the heart suddenly
stopped 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
hard 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.
Source: Heart
Failure Society of America
What
are the symptoms of
heart failure?
| • |
Shortness
of breath, which can
happen 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
or history of a heart
murmur |
| • |
Enlargement
of the heart |
| • |
Family
history of enlarged
heart |
| • |
Diabetes |
-
View
Risk
Factor Chart (PDF)
How
is heart failure
diagnosed?
Physicians
often order a number of tests
when exploring a possible
diagnosis of heart failure.
Many of them are painless
and simple. 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
together 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.
For
more information about
heart failure treatment
or to learn what you can
do to reduce your risk
of this disease, call (503)
873-1780 |
