4 Facts You Didn’t Know About Heart Failure

Heart failure — a progressive condition in which the heart is no longer able to pump the blood the body needs efficiently — isn't the same as a heart attack, nor does it mean that your most vital organ suddenly stops beating. What should you know?

1. Heart failure does not equal imminent death

People often seem to think that heart failure is the final stage a heart goes through before it stops beating completely. That isn't true. Even if it can’t be reversed, you can prevent further progression of heart failure and still lead a rewarding life despite this condition.

People who want to keep heart failure under control should stay active, watch what they eat and avoid gaining extra pounds, keep their blood pressure monitored, avoid high salt intake, stay away from alcohol and tobacco, and keep a close eye on how much liquid they drink each day.

2. Heart attacks aren’t always the cause of heart failure

It’s true that plenty of people associate these two medical conditions — because multiple heart attacks are generally known to lead to heart failure. In fact, the most common causes of heart failure include hypertension, heart valve problems, heart attacks, and diseases of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).

But other things can also lead to heart failure, such as viral infections that attack the heart muscle, arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm), or congenital heart problems (which are with you since birth). While rare, it’s also important to note that some heart failures have no identifiable cause.

3. There are different management options for heart failure

Depending on the underlying problem causing a person’s heart failure, doctors might recommend a wide variety of surgical interventions, such as:

• Coronary artery bypass graft surgery. When a coronary artery is occluded, this particular type of surgery will create a new route for blood to reach the heart. By taking a healthy blood vessel from another part of the patient’s body, doctors will connect one end before the blockage site, with the other end right past it. This way, the blood takes a "detour" to reach its destination. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery might be the appropriate decision for people whose heart failure is caused by coronary artery disease.
• Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. This type of device is similar to a pacemaker, and doctors can implant it under the chest and connect it to the heart and vessels with wires. The ICD will then monitor the heart rhythm and, if it notices any abnormalities, send electrical impulses that put your heart back on the right track. It is also an efficient solution in case the heart stops, as the device will attempt to resuscitate it.
• Heart valve repair/replacement. Some cases of heart failure are caused by a faulty heart valve. If so, doctors can choose to either repair or replace that valve. Replacement is usually performed when there is no way of repairing the valve.
• Implantable left ventricular assist device. Some heart failure patients have a special medical device implanted into the heart’s left ventricle. The purpose of this device is to help an otherwise weakened ventricle pump blood with higher efficiency. This device is very similar to a pump and can be implanted in either the chest or the abdomen. This ventricular assist device is often a short-term solution to keep people waiting for a new heart alive. It can also be a solution for heart failure patients who aren’t eligible to receive a heart transplant, as it can improve their quality of life.
• Heart transplant. In some cases, no medical intervention or medication plan can save a person’s heart, and a donor heart becomes the only treatment option. This solution is a last resort, because waiting lists for people who need a new heart are usually very long. Additionally, the donor's heart needs to be a perfect match, according to several criteria. People who get a new heart must take medications to prevent foreign tissue rejection for the rest of their lives.

4. Heart failure doesn't always slow you down

With the exception of cases in which the heart is not capable of providing you with enough oxygen as you’re exercising, a healthy lifestyle contributes to overall cardiovascular health — and should be included in patients' routines.

Doctors may also perform stress tests to determine how much activity your heart can take without any further complications.

Carefully-planned physical exercise can help you not only to improve your blood flow, but also alleviate some of your symptoms. It additionally helps to prevent weight gain, which is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease that can eventually lead to heart failure.

Conclusion

The treatment of heart failure and its underlying causes should be started as soon as possible to slow down the progression of the disease. With the right therapy and good lifestyle habits, people suffering from heart failure are much more likely to have a very good quality of life.