Heart Failure

Articles

Feb 1

During the month of February, the American Heart Association focuses on raising awareness about heart disease, heart conditions, and congestive heart failure. Heart failure reportedly affects over 6.2 million individuals in the United States. While some may imagine heart failure to mean that the heart stops working, this condition is actually classified as the heart working less effectively. It is a serious and life-threatening condition, but it can be addressed by doctors. The quality of life for an individual experiencing heart failure can be improved and there are a number of ways individuals can address treatment.

What is Heart Failure?

Typically, heart failure is described as a condition in which a heart needs to work harder to pump blood to the body, whether due to narrowing of arteries, plaque buildup, high blood pressure, high alcohol intake, smoking, poor nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, or coronary artery disease. Because your body will try to compensate for the extra work the heart is doing, some individuals will not notice any symptoms at first. Symptoms begin to occur when the body and the heart are no longer able to keep up with the increased labor to deliver oxygenated blood throughout the body.

Symptoms of Heart Failure

While some individuals will experience symptoms slowly over time, others may begin to notice symptoms suddenly. Acute heart failure occurs when symptoms begin suddenly rather than slowly progress. Heart failure may be present in individuals who are excessively tired, find themselves short of breath during normal daily activities, notice swelling in their abdomen or lower extremities, have difficulty concentrating, experience difficulty when exercising, or notice a lingering wheeze or cough with pink mucous. Other signs or symptoms may include chest pain or heart attack, rapid heart rate, increasing need to urinate at night, sudden weight gain, or reduced appetite and nausea.

What Causes Heart Failure?

Many factors are involved with the diagnosis of heart failure. In some cases, the heart is damaged or weakened and therefore cannot pump blood effectively. High blood pressure can cause a heart to stiffen and become less effective in pumping blood. The most common cause of heart failure is heart attack or coronary heart disease, which occurs due to a build up of plaque in the arteries which reduces overall blood flow. The heart is a muscle that can be damaged due to substance abuse, genetic factors, infection, or other diseases. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hemochromatosis, or thyroid problems can lead to heart failure.

Treatment and Care

Your doctor can perform a variety of tests in order to determine your risk factor and the condition of your heart and other organs. To get an indication of how healthy your body is, doctors may perform an echocardiogram along with other tests that measure your level of stress, heart rhythm, and level of exertion when engaging in aerobic activity.

Heart failure can affect other areas of the body and our organs. Often, individuals with heart failure will experience various complications in other areas like in the liver or kidneys. When a heart is enlarged, it may affect the heart’s valves in a damaging way. Others who experience more severe symptoms may require a heart transplant in order to recover. Because heart failure is life-threatening, it is important that proper measures are taken according to your doctor’s recommendations for a treatment plan.

Preventing Heart Failure

The most obvious ways of preventing heart damage and heart failure are to abstain from things that affect the heart negatively. Avoid drinking alcohol in excess and avoid smoking altogether to remove those risk factors as possibilities for developing a heart condition. Other ways to address heart health are to eat a healthy diet, keep a routine of regular aerobic exercise, manage affecting conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes, and maintain a healthy weight for your body. Your doctor or healthcare professionals can help guide you to a path to good health, including prescribing any medications that would lessen your likelihood of developing heart disease. Reducing the potential of heart failure is the best way to prevent it while it is still preventable.

Since heart failure can have such a lasting effect on your body, it may have a detrimental impact on one’s ability to maintain independence in some cases. As with many diagnoses of chronic illness or life-threatening disease, it can be a struggle to adjust your routine to compensate for changes in your abilities. Your occupational therapist can assist in determining the best course of action in your natural environment and recommend changes to your surroundings. In many cases, occupational, physical, or speech therapists can help their clients gain more independence in their lives after receiving a life-changing diagnosis. If you or your loved one is experiencing change in their life due to chronic disease or a diagnosis such as heart failure, contact our team of experienced professionals. We serve patients in the regions of Southern Nevada, Northern Nevada, Oregon, and Hawaii. Our dedicated therapists aim to help every client reach their maximum level of independence.

Looking for more resources? Check out some other informative articles and helpful activities to help you address your health through the lens of a therapist.