Heart Failure

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a condition that develops when your heart can’t pump enough blood to support good health. Over time, heart failure can cause one or both sides of your heart to grow weak, which can no longer support your body’s function.

There are a number of underlying conditions that can overwork or damage your heart and lead to heart failure, such as:

• Diabetes
• Arrhythmia
• Heart defects
• Heart valve disease
• High blood pressure

You may also develop heart failure due to ischemic heart disease, which occurs when plaque builds up inside the arteries that carry blood to and from your heart. Narrowing in these arteries can restrict blood flow and increase your risk for blood clots.

What are the symptoms of heart failure?

If you have heart failure in the right side of your heart, there isn’t enough blood pumping to your lungs to get oxygen. This can lead to a build-up of fluid that causes swelling in your:

• Legs
• Feet
• Ankles
• Liver
• Abdomen
• Neck veins

If you have heart failure on either the left or right side, you can experience persistent shortness of breath and chronic fatigue.

How is heart failure diagnosed?

Diagnosing heart failure starts with a comprehensive review of your personal and family medical history. The Cardiovascular Wellness Center team also evaluates your blood pressure and discusses the severity of your symptoms.

To assess your general heart health, your provider may order blood tests, a chest X-ray, or heart tests like:

• An electrocardiogram (ECG)
• An echocardiogram
• A nuclear heart scan

The team at Cardiovascular Wellness Center also performs cardiac catheterization, which involves placing a thin, flexible tube into a blood vessel of your arm and up into your heart to check for coronary artery blockages or disease.

What treatments are available for heart failure?

To protect your long-term heart health, your Cardiovascular Wellness Center physician provides up-to-date heart failure care, following the current treatment guidelines and the latest cutting-edge, evidence-based medicine. They create a treatment plan to reduce your risk for further heart complications and keep you out of the hospital.

If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or other underlying conditions that contribute to heart failure, the Cardiovascular Wellness Center team works with you and your primary care provider or specialist to ensure your condition is well-controlled. They also provide lifestyle and dietary recommendations to improve your heart health.

If you currently have an implantable defibrillator, the Cardiovascular Wellness Center team provides monitoring services via the parameters on the device to treat you before symptoms lead to hospitalization.

To discuss the right treatment options for heart failure, call Cardiovascular Wellness Center or request an appointment online today.