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More InDepth Information on This Condition
Definition
| Causes
| Symptoms
| Risk Factors
| Diagnosis
| Treatment
| Prevention
Understanding Heart Failure
Definition
In heart failure, the heart is unable to pump the right amount of blood throughout the body. This causes blood to back up in the veins. Depending on which part of the heart is affected most, this can lead to a build up of excess fluid in the lungs, feet, and elsewhere. Heart failure can worsen with time, which may lead to the use of many treatments. Because of this, doctors are aggressive in treating heart failure to try to prevent it from worsening.
Causes
The leading causes of heart failure are:
Other common causes include:
Other less common causes include:
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath—at first only with activity, then progressing to shortness of breath at rest
- Unexplained weight gain
- Swelling of feet, ankles, or legs
- Need to sleep propped up
- Fatigue, weakness
- Wheezing
- Cough
—may be dry and hacking or wet sounding, may have a pink, frothy sputum
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Abdominal pain
Risk Factors
Diagnosis
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. She will also do a physical exam, which will include:
- Listening to your lungs and heart with a stethoscope
- Feeling the abdomen for tenderness and liver swelling
- Checking your feet, ankles, and legs for swelling
Tests may include:
- Blood tests—to look for certain markers in the blood that help the doctor determine what is happening with your heart
- Urine tests—to look for certain markers in the urine that help the doctor determine what is happening with your heart
- Electrocardiogram
(ECG, EKG)—records the heart's activity by measuring electrical currents through the heart muscle
- Echocardiogram
—uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to examine the size, shape, function, and motion of the heart
- Exercise stress test
—records the heart's electrical activity during increased physical activity (may be coupled with echocardiogram or neclear scan)
- If you cannot exercise, you may be given medicine. This medicine simulates physical exertion.
- Nuclear scanning—uses radioactive material (such as thallium) to highlight areas with diminished flow
- Coronary angiography
—uses a catheter, dye, and x-rays to look for abnormalities (eg, narrowing, blockage) in the arteries and evaluate the function of the heart
Treatment
Treatment of Underlying Conditions
Heart failure may be caused by another condition. Treating this condition should improve your heart failure or prevent if from getting worse.
Lifestyle Changes
The following lifestyle changes can help treat the symptoms of heart failure and slow down its progression:
- Avoid alcohol.
-
If you smoke,
quit
.
- Lose weight if needed.
-
Eat a
healthy diet
. Your diet should be low in fat and salt and
high in fiber
.
- Ask your doctor if you need to restrict fluids. Find out how much salt and fluid is right for you.
-
Begin an exercise program with guidance from your doctor.
Aerobic training
may help improve your level of physical activity and quality of life.
- Weigh yourself every morning. This will allow you to quickly detect if you are retaining fluid.
Medications
Your doctor will most likely prescribe a combination of medications, such as:
- ACE inhibitors or their alternatives to widen blood vessels
- Digoxin
(also called digitalis) to help your heart pump
-
Beta-blockers to slow your heart rate and lower
blood pressure
- Diuretics
to remove excess fluid in your body
You may also be given medications to:
-
Thin the blood (eg,
aspirin
,
warfarin
[eg, Coumadin])
-
Help manage chest pain (eg,
nitroglycerin
)
- Help manage cholesterol levels
- Help control high blood pressure
If heart failure worsens, you may need medical devices to help your heart pump blood properly. If you have heart failure, follow your doctor's
instructions
.
Prevention
The best way to prevent heart failure is to reduce your risk of:
- Coronary artery disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
Take these steps to reduce your risk:
-
Begin a safe
exercise program
with the advice of your doctor.
- If you smoke, quit.
- Limit alcohol.
-
Lose weight if needed. Once you have lost weight, maintain a
healthy weight
.
-
Eat a healthy diet. The
DASH diet
, in particular, may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart failure, particularly in women. The DASH diet is:
- Rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods
- Low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol
- Eat whole grain breakfast cereal. In addition to the other healthy habits, this may reduce your risk.
Last reviewed November 2009 by David N. Smith, MD
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