- Main types of heart failure
- Why does it happen?
- Symptoms of heart failure
- How to treat heart failure
Heart failure is characterized by the difficulty of the heart in pumping blood to the body, generating symptoms such as tiredness, nocturnal cough and swelling in the legs at the end of the day, since the oxygen present in the blood cannot reach the organs and tissues.
Heart failure is more common in people who have high blood pressure, as in these cases the heart needs to exert more force to pump blood, causing the heart to dilate over time. In addition, insufficiency can happen due to the narrowing of the arteries, making it difficult for blood to pass and distribute through the body.
Heart failure cannot be cured, but it can be controlled with the regular use of oral remedies and food care, in addition to regular consultations with the cardiologist.
Main types of heart failure
According to the evolution of symptoms, heart failure can be classified into:
- Chronic heart failure, which develops over the years due to high blood pressure, for example, being the most common type of failure; Acute heart failure, which appears suddenly due to a serious problem, such as a heart attack, severe arrhythmia or hemorrhage and must be treated immediately and in the hospital to avoid complications; Decompensated heart failure, which appears in patients with chronic heart failure who do not undergo treatment properly, requiring hospitalization; Congestive heart failure, also called CHF, in which there is an accumulation of fluids in the lungs, legs and belly due to the difficulty of the heart in pumping blood. Understand what it is and how to identify CHF.
It is important that heart failure is identified so that treatment can be started right away to prevent the problem from worsening and the appearance of complications that could endanger the person's life.
Why does it happen?
Heart failure can happen as a consequence of any condition that interferes with the functioning of the heart and the transport of oxygen to the body. Most of the time heart failure happens due to coronary heart disease, which is characterized by the narrowing of blood vessels, with difficulty in the passage of blood and decreasing the amount of oxygen reaching the organs, putting the person's life at risk.
In addition, in the case of cardiomegaly, popularly known as the big heart, it is also possible to have heart failure, because due to the enlargement of the organ, blood starts to accumulate inside it, with no adequate distribution of blood and oxygen to the organs. and fabrics.
Changes in the heartbeat or in the process of contraction and relaxation of the heart can also lead to heart failure, especially in older people and / or who have hypertension.
Symptoms of heart failure
The main symptom of heart failure is the progressive tiredness that starts after great efforts, such as climbing stairs or running, but that with time can appear even at rest. Other signs and symptoms of heart failure are:
- Excessive coughing at night; Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet at the end of the day; Shortness of breath when making efforts or at rest; Palpitations and chills; Abdominal swelling; Paleness; Difficulty sleeping with low headboard.
If there is any sign or symptom indicating heart failure, it is important to go to the hospital to have tests done to assess the heart and, thus, make the diagnosis and start treatment.
Learn to identify the signs and symptoms of heart failure.
How to treat heart failure
Treatment for heart failure should be guided by a cardiologist and usually includes the use of pressure-lowering drugs, such as Lisinopril or Captopril, heart drugs, such as Digoxin or Amiodarone, or diuretic remedies, such as Furosemide or Spironolactone. In addition, it is also recommended that the patient reduce the consumption of salt and fluids and do regular physical exercise, under the guidance of the cardiologist.
In the most severe cases of heart failure, in which the patient is not adequately treated, it may be necessary to use surgery to perform a heart transplant. See more about treating heart failure.
Check out in the following video how nutrition helps cardiac work by reducing the symptoms of heart failure:
