Heart Failure Introduction, Causes and Treatment by Dr Gokhale

Heart Failure Introduction, Causes & Treatment| Dr Gokhale

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HEART FAILURE INTRODUCTION Heart Failure (HF) - a condition in which a weakened heart can’t pump enough blood throughout the body. This leads to reduced quality of life, frequent hospitalization and high mortality. Although Heart Failure, like other heart ailments, has been acquiring epidemic proportions in India in the recent past, it has not received adequate public attention.

Heart Failure usually can’t be cured, but thanks to advances in technology and drug discovery, it can be effectively managed and patients’ quality of life is improved.

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WHAT IS HEART FAILURE? Heart Failure does not mean that heart has stopped working or is about to stop working. Heart Failure is a condition in which the heart becomes so weak that it has trouble pumping a normal amount of blood carrying enough oxygen and nutrients to meet the body's needs. While the word ‘failure’ sounds alarming as it implies that the heart has suddenly stopped working, the medical term actually describes a chronic syndrome that typically develops slowly.

By itself, Heart Failure is not a disease. Heart Failure develops either as a result of damage to the heart muscle (caused by coronary artery disease, infection or toxic exposure to chemicals such as alcohol and drugs) or when too much strain is placed on the heart because of years of untreated high blood pressure or an abnormal heart valve.

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WHAT CAUSES HEART FAILURE? Heart Failure is caused by many conditions that damage the heart muscle, including – 1.Coronary Artery Disease - Coronary artery disease (CAD), a disease of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart, causes decreased blood flow to the heart muscle. If the arteries become blocked, the heart becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients.

2.Heart Attack - A heart attack may occur when a coronary artery becomes suddenly blocked, stopping the flow of blood to the heart muscle and damaging it. The damaged heart muscle does not function properly. http://www.drgokhale.com

WHAT CAUSES HEART FAILURE? 3.Cardiomyopathy - Damage to the heart muscle may be caused by infections or alcohol or drug abuse, pregnancy or no apparent cause.

4.Strain on the Heart - Conditions including high blood pressure (hypertension), valve disease, thyroid disease, kidney disease, diabetes or heart defects present at birth can all cause Heart Failure.

5.High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) - Increases the workload on heart muscle.

6.Diseases of Valves of Heart - Improper functioning of heart valves leads to increased work load and stress on heart muscle.

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WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEART FAI LURE Heart Failure may be of two types - left-sided Heart Failure and right-sided Heart Failure.

Left-sided Heart Failure occurs when the left ventricle cannot adequately pump oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The main symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue and coughing. There may also be lung congestion (with both blood and fluid).

Right-sided Heart Failure occurs when the right ventricle is not pumping adequately, which tends to cause fluid build-up in the veins and swelling in the legs and ankles. Right-sided Heart Failure usually occurs as a direct result of leftsided Heart Failure. It can also be caused by severe lung disease. http://www.drgokhale.com

HEART FAILURE TREATMENT Treatment for Heart Failures: 1.Slowing its progression (thereby decreasing the risk of death and the need for hospitalization) 2.Reducing symptoms (water retention, shortness of breath, etc.)

3.Addressing heart rhythm disturbances.

4.Improving the quality of life.

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