When many people hear someone has heart failure, they automatically think this is a death sentence. That is not the case. People can live with heart failure for many many years. Keep reading to learn everything there is to know about managing heart failure, including tips to enhance life and longevity.
What Does Heart Failure Really Mean?
Heart failure is described as a set of symptoms. The symptoms are caused by diseases which affect the heart’s ability to pump blood. Consequently, the heart is not working as well as it should be and is not pumping a sufficient amount of blood and oxygen to meet your body’s needs and support your organs. These diseases weaken your heart muscle over time.
What Are the Signs of Heart Failure?
If you notice any combination of these symptoms see an experienced cardiologist like New Jersey Cardiology Associates for tests.
They include the following:
- Shortness of breath during normal activities
- Breathing difficulties lying down
- Increase in weight with swelling in the feet, legs, ankles, or abdomen
- Feeling drained or lacking energy
- Lack of appetite
- Persistent coughing
Your cardiologist will perform a number of tests in order to diagnose heart failure and ask about risk factors.
What Are the Risk Factors?
If you smoke, have diabetes, are obese, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sodium, live a sedentary lifestyle, and drink alcohol excessively, you are at a higher risk of having heart failure.
In addition, coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most prevalent form of heart disease, which contributes to heart failure.
What Are Heart Failure Treatment Options?
If you are diagnosed with heart failure, there are several positive treatment options to increase your life expectancy.
Your physician may begin by treating your high blood pressure or diabetes first to get those under control. Medications to treat other symptoms or diseases may be next.
Understand Your Ejection Fraction and the Dangers Sudden Cardiac Arrest
You can be tested for the amount of blood that is being ejected from your heart to determine how healthy or how severe your heart failure is. A fraction of 50% or above tells the doctor your heart is pumping normally. 35% or less indicates a weakened heart muscle which puts you at risk for a sudden cardiac arrest which can cause death within minutes.
There are drug therapies to reduce this risk, and there are medical devices which can be implanted like a Cardiac Defibrillator that detects a dangerous heart rhythm.
Medical science has not found a cure yet, but heart failure can be managed by making some lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle Modifications to Manage Heart Failure
In addition to medications and therapies, there are important lifestyle changes you can make to improve your heart failure and prevent it from getting worse.
- Stop smoking
- Get some regular exercise
- Improve your diet by reducing salt intake and fat
- Talk with your doctor about your alcohol consumption
- Take all meds exactly as directed
- Check on your weight to be sure you aren’t retaining fluid
You need to be actively involved in your treatment. Following the above modifications will also help to manage any complications like blood clots, impaired kidney function, loss of muscle tissue throughout the body, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), and respiratory distress.
Heart failure is not a death sentence as long as you understand your part in your care and follow all the recommendations of a board-certified cardiologist like our cardiologists.
Heart Failure Treatment in West Orange, NJ
Contact New Jersey Cardiology Associates at (973) 731-9442 for an evaluation if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of heart failure.
Sources: Heart Failure Signs and Symptoms | American Heart Association