In turn, it may not have the muscle power to pump the amount of oxygenated and nutrient-filled blood the body needs. Diastolic Failure The muscle becomes stiff and loses some of its ability to relax. As a result, the affected chamber has trouble filling with blood during the rest period that occurs between each heartbeat. Often the walls of the heart thicken, and the size of the left chamber may be normal or reduced. Symptoms People who experience any of the symptoms associated with heart failure, even if they are mild, should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Typical signs of heart failure include: Breathlessness or Shortness of Breath Dyspnea When the heart begins to fail, blood backs up in the veins attempting to carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.
As fluid pools in the lungs, it interferes with normal breathing. In turn, you may experience breathlessness during exercise or other activities.
As the condition worsens, shortness of breath may occur when at rest or asleep. These periods of breathlessness may leave you feeling exhausted and anxious. Fatigue As heart failure becomes more severe, the heart is unable to pump the amount of blood required to meet all of the body's needs.
To compensate, blood is diverted away from less-crucial areas, including the arms and legs, to supply the heart and brain. As a result, people with heart failure often feel weak especially in their arms and legs , tired and have difficulty performing ordinary activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries. Chronic Cough or Wheezing The fluid buildup in the lungs may result in a persistent cough or wheezing, that may produce phlegm a thick, mucous-like substance that may be tinged with blood.
Rapid or Irregular Heartbeat The heart may speed up to compensate for its failing ability to adequately pump blood throughout the body. Patients may feel a fluttering in the heart palpitations or a heartbeat that seems irregular or out of rhythm. This often is described as a pounding or racing sensation in the chest. These arteries may develop problems leading to serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.
Coronary artery disease CAD is the most common type of heart disease in the US, it develops when there is a buildup of plaque in the walls of the coronary arteries leading to narrowing and eventually occlusion of these arteries.
These cholesterol rich fatty deposits plaques decrease blood flow to the heart muscle leading to a condition called Angina and raises the risk for a heart attack. Symptoms may not appear until there is a significant reduction of blood flow.
Shortness of breath, especially during exertion, may be an atypical presentation of Angina and may be due to underlying CAD. Heart attack A heart attack occurs when the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygenated blood and nutrients to function properly. Unfortunately, you might not have any symptoms of CAD until you suffer a heart attack.
This makes it crucial to form a strong, collaborative relationship with your provider and schedule recommended checkups for prevention and early detection of heart disease. This is especially true if you have risk factors for CAD, these include Hypertension, Diabetes, High cholesterol, smoking and a family history of Coronary artery disease.
While chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack, patients especially women may present primarily with Shortness of breath and worsening fatigue. You may notice a decrease in energy or breathlessness after minimal activity which you may attribute to ageing, a lack of physical activity or weight gain but these may represent early subtle signs of heart disease or a heart attack Heart failure.
This is caused by either diseased heart muscle which is too weak to pump enough blood to the body heart failure with reduced ejection fraction or a thick, stiff heart muscle which does not relax enough to be filled with blood heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Shortness of breath is the most common symptom of heart failure. It is a distressing feeling that may cause you to feel smothered, Shortness of breath initially occurs with exertion but may get progressively worse and eventually occur at rest in severe cases.
It typically is worse on lying flat on your back and patients sometimes wake up from sleep and sit up to catch their breath. Dietitians and nutritionists can help plan a diet. Medicines may be prescribed to reduce fluid in the body or help the ventricle contract better. Diuretics remove fluid. Nitrates open blood vessels so blood flows more easily.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE inhibitors help the ventricle contract. Beta-blockers help by slowing the heart rate. Other drugs reduce blood pressure. All may have side effects, including dehydration, cough, dizziness, fainting, and fatigue. Heart Failure. What Causes HF? Call or emergency medical help if you have any of the following:.
Although these signs and symptoms may be due to heart failure, there are many other possible causes, including other life-threatening heart and lung conditions. Don't try to diagnose yourself. Emergency room doctors will try to stabilize your condition and determine if your symptoms are due to heart failure or something else. If you have a diagnosis of heart failure and if any of the symptoms suddenly become worse or you develop a new sign or symptom, it may mean that existing heart failure is getting worse or not responding to treatment.
This may also be the case if you gain 5 pounds 2. Contact your doctor promptly. A typical heart has two upper and two lower chambers. The upper chambers — the right and left atria — receive incoming blood. The lower chambers — the right and left ventricles — pump blood out of your heart. The heart valves, which keep blood flowing in the right direction, are gates at the chamber openings for the tricuspid and mitral valves and exits for the pulmonary and aortic valves. As the heart weakens, as it can with heart failure, it begins to enlarge, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood on to the rest of the body.
Heart failure often develops after other conditions have damaged or weakened the heart. However, heart failure can also occur if the heart becomes too stiff. In heart failure, the main pumping chambers of the heart the ventricles may become stiff and not fill properly between beats. In some people, the heart muscle may become damaged and weakened.
The ventricles may stretch to the point that the heart can't pump enough blood through the body. Over time, the heart can no longer keep up with the typical demands placed on it to pump blood to the rest of the body. Your doctor can determine how well your heart is pumping by measuring how much blood is pumped out with each beat ejection fraction.
Ejection fraction is used to help classify heart failure and guide treatment. But heart failure can occur even with a normal ejection fraction. This happens if the heart muscle becomes stiff from conditions such as high blood pressure.
Heart failure can involve the left side left ventricle , right side right ventricle or both sides of your heart. Generally, heart failure begins with the left side, specifically the left ventricle — your heart's main pumping chamber.
Any of the following conditions can damage or weaken your heart and can cause heart failure. Some of these can be present without your knowing it:.
Coronary artery disease and heart attack.
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