What is Heart Failure (HF)?
Heart failure is NOT a heart attack! A heart attack usually results from a blockage in the blood vessels that cut off the supply of blood to the heart.
Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle becomes weakened by an underlying problem such as Coronary Artery Disease, High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), a previous Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction), or Cardiomyopathy (Disorder of the heart muscle). The heart is therefore unable to meet the body's metabolic requirements.
The two main categories of HF are:
- Systolic Heart Failure – occurs when the heart’s ability to contract decreases resulting in fluid leakage into the lungs (pulmonary congestion), and
- Diastolic Heart Failure – occurs when the heart has problems relaxing. This often results in fluid build-up in the feet, ankles, and legs (oedema).
The symptoms of heart failure include:
Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
Oedema (swollen feet, ankles, & legs)
Paleness (pallor)
Frequent coughing - especially when lying down
Fatigue
Dizziness or fainting and a feeling of uncomfortable pressure/fullness/pain spreading to the shoulders, neck and arms.
The severity of HF and symptoms depends on how much of the heart's pumping capacity has been lost as the body can compensate for the deterioration in cardiac function for some time, but in the long term it has a negative effect.
People living with Heart Failure suffer a substantial loss of quality of life and frequently have to be admitted to hospital.
For more information, follow the attached link to the FDA's website: FDA Heart Health Website- Info about living with Cardiovascular Disease
Is there a cure for Heart failure (HF)?
NO!!!!!!!
However, early diagnosis and treatment can:
- Significantly slow disease progression
- Keep you out of the ER
- Improve quality of life