Causes, provoking factors, signs and treatment of heart failure

Causes, symptoms and treatment of heart failure

Heart failure is a pathological condition in which the heart does not provide adequate blood flow, which leads to oxygen starvation and a lack of nutrients in the cells of the organs. Chronic cardiovascular failure is a consequence of almost every disease of this system.

Causes of occurrence

Atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial infarction, heart defects are the main causes of the disease. Constant narrowing of blood vessels leads to the fact that the blood begins to slow down. Up to a certain point, the heart corrects this problem on its own, increasing the number of contractions. If these pathologies are not treated, the result will be heart failure.

Doctors include some autoimmune pathologies, food poisoning, and severe infectious diseases as factors that can provoke the disease. The causes of heart failure in old age can be both diseases of the respiratory system and problems in the work of the genitourinary system. In the first case, the heart cannot cope with increased pressure in the pulmonary artery, in the second - with a large amount of fluid in the body, which accumulates due to insufficient work of the kidneys.

Symptoms of heart failure

A characteristic feature of the disease is a gradual increase in the intensity of clinical manifestations. Symptoms of heart failure at the beginning of the development of the pathology are almost absent - a person leads a normal lifestyle, but shortness of breath may appear during heavy physical exertion. If at this moment the pressure in the pulmonary vessels increases, shortness of breath quickly transforms into a cough. During the progression of the disease, the following will appear:

• feeling of weakness, malaise, regardless of how great the load was;
• cough - with heart failure, it has an attack-like character and may be accompanied by the secretion of sputum with blood impurities;
• rapid heartbeat, feeling anxious;
• decrease in the amount of urine with a predominant release at night.

A mild degree of heart failure in women in the climacteric period will be accompanied by a disturbance of the psycho-emotional background - characteristic mood swings, unmotivated irritability, headaches, drowsiness during the day and insomnia at night. If such a condition is accompanied by periodic increased heart rate and shortness of breath during physical exertion, it is necessary to undergo an examination by a cardiologist.

The disease may be accompanied by uncharacteristic manifestations. For example, if the narrowing of blood vessels and congestion occur in the liver, the patient will complain of a feeling of heaviness and aching pain in the right hypochondrium. Cough, constant shortness of breath and chest pain are signs of cardiopulmonary failure.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of heart failure begins with an examination of the patient. The doctor should receive the results:

• ultrasound examination of the heart;
• X-rays of the chest;
• ECG;
• general blood analysis.

With appropriate symptoms, an ultrasound of the kidneys and liver, a general urinalysis may be prescribed as an additional examination.

Therapy can be carried out on an outpatient basis - the patient is registered with a cardiologist, receives medication and periodically undergoes control examinations. The doctor will definitely give clinical recommendations for heart failure:

1. Limit physical exertion, give up strength exercises and cardio training, if necessary, change the place of work.
2. Adjust the diet. Patients with similar problems must adhere to a diet that includes the rejection of salt, fatty foods and control of the drinking regime.
3. It is necessary to take drugs for shortness of breath in case of heart failure. They are usually prescribed in short courses and help prevent the development of problems in the respiratory system.
4. Periodically undergo a course of vitamin therapy. The complexes help restore the work of the heart muscle and normalize its metabolism.

It is necessary to take drugs that contribute to the removal of excess fluid from the body and lower blood pressure. Therapy for heart failure is always complex and long-term. Prognosis depends on what underlying disease caused the problem. If it is treatable, it is quite possible to restore the heart.

If a person suddenly feels sick, complains of severe chest pain, begins to suffocate, this may indicate the development of acute heart failure. Qualified assistance will be provided by the "Ambulance" team, but the patient's condition can be alleviated immediately. First aid for acute heart failure:

• the person should sit down - it is important that the legs are down;
• put a Nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue, after 5 minutes you can put a second one;
• ensure access to fresh air - open windows and doors, unbutton the patient's tie, shirt or outer clothing.

Prevention of heart failure

The disease can be prevented by following the set of actions recommended by specialists:

1. Regularly visit a cardiologist, do an EKG, receiving a professional assessment of the condition of your heart.
2. Correct weight, adhere to a diet with restriction of salt, alcohol and fatty foods.
3. Monitor blood pressure. In case of frequent increase in blood pressure, consult a specialist and undergo a course of treatment for hypertension.
4. Fully treat any internal diseases, because even banal inflammation of the prostate gland or ovaries can lead to narrowing of blood vessels and heart failure.

You can find out more about the conditions under which edema can occur in congestive heart failure and what to do with severe shortness of breath on the pages of our site Dobrobut.com

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