Introduction
Heart failure is a condition when the heart is unable to pump blood adequately to meet the body’s requirements. This condition affects many people, hence, knowing the causes, symptoms, and treatment options can allow early diagnosis and treatment, resulting in better outcome in the long term.
What Causes Heart Failure?
Heart failure can be caused by:
- Blocked Arteries (Coronary Artery Disease) – When the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart get narrowed or blocked, the heart muscles will be weakened, causing heart failure
- Heart Attack – A heart attack damages the heart muscle, and the resulting injury can impair the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively.
- High Blood Pressure – Causes the heart to pump harder to supply blood to the body, which can lead to heart failure over time
- Heart Valve Diseases – Damage or abnormalities in the heart valves can disrupt blood flow and put extra strain on the heart, potentially leading to heart failure
- Heart Rhythm Disorders – Irregular heartbeats can disrupt the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively, potentially leading to heart failure
- Heart Muscle Disease (Cardiomyopathy) – Diseases affecting function of heart muscles or heart muscles injury can result in a weakened heart
- Other Medical Conditions including diabetes, renal failure, thyroid diseases, infections, lung diseases can affect heart function and cause heart failure as well
Symptoms of Heart Failure
Common symptoms of heart failure include:
- Shortness of breath, with worsening on lying flat
- Swelling in legs or abdomen
- Reduced effort tolerance
- Generalised fatigue, dizziness
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
How is Heart Failure Diagnosed?
Doctors may use different investigation techniques to assess if someone has heart failure, including:
- Initial assessment – See a doctor for a clinic consultation which would include a medical review and physical examination to ascertain the symptoms and clinical signs of heart failure
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) – This test records electrical activities of the heart and can reveal abnormalities in heart rhythm or electrical conduction that may contribute to or as a result of heart failure.
- Transthoracic Echocardiogram – A heart ultrasound scan to evaluate the heart function and also to assess for structural heart diseases which may cause heart failure
- Blood Tests – Biomarkers of heart failure to assist in diagnosis and also blood tests to exclude other medical conditions which could cause heart failure
- Chest X-Ray – May be done to assess for lung congestion which is a sign of heart failure
Treatment for Heart Failure
Treatment for heart failure involves treating the cause and may involve procedures such as coronary angiogram to assess for blocked coronary arteries and to do percutaneous coronary intervention to revascularize the blocked arteries, if necessary. Other treatment options may vary depending on the cause of heart failure.
In general, treatment to optimize heart function would include:
- Medications
- Lifestyle Changes
- Eat a healthy, low-salt diet
- Adjust fluid intake volume
- Regular exercises with heart rate and symptoms monitoring
- Quit smoking and alcohol
- Medical Procedures
- Automated- Defibrillator (ICD) – A small, automated pacemaker-like device that detects and treats life-threatening heart rhythms
- Cardiac resynchronization therapy – Helps the heart pump blood more efficiently by coordinating the contractions of the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles)
- Pacemaker – Treat abnormal heart rhythms to keep a normal heart rhythm
- Heart Transplant / Ventricular- Assist Device – For advanced heart failure cases, when other treatments fail
Conclusion
Heart failure is a serious condition but can be managed with proper and consistent care to improve patient’s quality of life and survival in the long-term. Recognizing symptoms early, having regular health screening to allow early diagnosis and following consistent medical treatment, together with lifestyle adjustment, are pivotal in optimizing heart failure care of patients.