Heart failure

It is important to remember that many people with heart failure lead full, enjoyable lives. Also, not all heart failure is the same. Heart failure can progress, so researchers have identified four stages of the disease — A, B, C and D. Health care professionals also classify heart failure when it has progressed to stages C and D. This classification measures a patient’s overall heart function and severity of symptoms. Stages of Heart Failure In collaboration with the American College of Cardiology, the AHA has identified four stages of heart failure. They are described in the table below. Stage A: At risk for heart failure People who are at risk for heart failure but do not yet have symptoms or structural or functional heart disease Risk factors for people in this stage include hypertension, coronary vascular disease, diabetes, obesity, exposure to cardiotoxic agents, genetic variants for cardiomyopathy and family history of cardiomyopathy Stage B: Pre-heart failure People without current or previous symptoms of heart failure but with either structural heart disease, increased filling pressures in the heart or other risk factors Stage C: Symptomatic heart failure People without current or previous symptoms of heart failure Stage D: Advanced heart failure People with heart failure symptoms that interfere with daily life functions or lead to repeated hospitalizations Classes of Heart Failure By classifying patients in stage C and stage D heart failure, health care profession...

Congestive heart failure (also called heart failure) is a serious condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as efficiently as it should. Despite its name, The body tries to compensate in different ways. The heart beats faster to take less time for refilling after it contracts—but over the long run, less blood circulates, and the extra effort can cause heart palpitations. The heart also enlarges a bit to make room for the blood. The lungs fill with fluid, causing shortness of breath. The kidneys, when they don’t receive enough blood, begin to retain water and sodium, which can lead to kidney failure. With or without treatment, heart failure is often and typically progressive, meaning it gradually gets worse. More than 5 million people in the United States have congestive heart failure. It’s the most common diagnosis in hospitalized patients over age 65. One in nine deaths has heart failure as a contributing cause. “To avoid heart failure, there’s a need to prevent other heart problems,” says Johns Hopkins cardiologist Prevention The best way to avoid congestive heart failure is to avoid the conditions that contribute to it, or to carefully manage these conditions if they develop, says Jones. • Stop smoking—better yet, don’t start.It’s a major factor in the arterial damage that can cause heart failure. Also steer clear of secondhand smoke. • Eat in heart-healthy ways.The foods that help you are those that contain little saturated fat, trans fat, sugar or sodium. Think ...

A normal, healthy heart is a very strong muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. The blood delivers necessary oxygen and important nutrients to tissues and organs. With heart failure, the organ becomes progressively weaker. Over time, it loses its ability to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. In early heart failure, the heart tries to keep up with the body’s demands by: • Getting larger • Pumping faster • Narrowing the blood vessels to increase blood pressure to try to get blood where it needs to go • Diverting blood away from other organs so other parts of the body can have it There are several kinds of heart failure. Some types have overlapping symptoms, some types can happen at the same time, and some types can lead to other types. This article covers the different kinds of heart failure: • Left-sided heart failure • Right-sided heart failure • Congestive heart failure • Congenital heart failure As heart failure progresses, you may have more — and more severe — symptoms. The exact signs and symptoms of heart failure depend on the type of heart failure and how advanced it is. Early Symptoms of Heart Failure A person with early heart failure might not have any noticeable signs. When early symptoms occur, they can be subtle and easy to miss or ignore. Early signs of heart failure include: • Shortness of breath, at first when you’re active and later even when you’re sitting or lying down • Lowered ability to exercise or be active • Confusion or forgetfulness •...

Overview What is acute heart failure? Who experiences acute heart failure? Acute heart failure occurs in people with or without previous heart issues: • Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) occurs in people with heart conditions, such as • De novo acute heart failure occurs in people with no history of heart disease. They have ongoing health conditions, like How do these issues cause acute heart failure? Heart disease and certain medical conditions can make your heart work harder than usual. This extra effort leads to physical changes that can include: • Enlarged heart. • Decreased blood flow. • Narrow blood vessels. • Rapid or irregular heartbeat. • Stiff heart muscles. The changes are small at first. They start long before you experience acute heart failure symptoms. Over time, the changes get worse, making your heart work harder than it should. When your heart is no longer able to keep up, acute heart failure occurs. Symptoms and Causes Acute heart failure symptoms One of the most common symptoms is • Heavy breathing. • Sensation like suffocating. • Struggling to breathe while lying down. • Tight chest. Other acute heart failure symptoms may include: • Arrhythmia. • • • Fluid retention ( • Loss of consciousness. What should I do if I experience these symptoms? If you notice any of these symptoms, seek emergency medical care as quickly as possible. The sooner you receive treatment, the better your chances of recovery. What causes acute heart failure? Health issues th...

Diastolic heart failure is a stiff left heart ventricle. When your left heart ventricle is stiff, it doesn’t relax properly between heartbeats. Diastolic heart failure can lead to decreased blood flow and other complications. With the right treatment, you can effectively manage the symptoms of diastolic heart failure. Overview What is diastolic heart failure? Diastolic heart failure, also known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), is a condition in which your heart’s main pumping chamber (left ventricle) becomes stiff and unable to fill properly. Diastolic heart failure is one of two kinds of left-sided heart failure. The other type is systolic heart failure which reduces the pumping strength of your left ventricle. What does the left heart ventricle do? Your What is the difference between diastolic and systolic? Diastolic and systolic are the two numbers on a blood pressure reading. Every time your heart squeezes, it pumps out blood to the network of blood vessels known as the • The top number is the systolic blood pressure. • The bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure. How does diastolic heart failure affect my body? When the left side of your heart stiffens, your heart: • Can’t relax properly between beats. • Doesn’t fill up with as much blood as it should. • Pumps out less blood to the rest of your body than a healthy heart would. As a result, you experience symptoms of heart failure. You might feel short of breath or fatigued (tired, no ma...

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