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Heart Failure
What
is heart failure? Heart failure
is a condition that develops when the heart's muscle becomes weakened after it
is injured from something like a heart attack or blood pressure, and loses
its ability to pump enough blood to supply the body's needs. It is a very
common disease and affects nearly 5 million Americans, and an estimated
550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. What
are the warning signs and symptoms of heart failure? There is an
acronym to help you remember the symptoms of heart failure: FACES How
is heart failure detected? The most
common method of diagnosing cardiomyopathy is an electrocardiogram (EKG) and
a chest x-ray. An EKG measures the electrical activity of your heart and a chest
x-ray takes a picture of your heart to examine its configuration and size.
Other imaging tests that may be ordered are as follows:
What
are the treatment options for heart failure? People
suffering from heart failure can almost always be helped by a combination of
changes in lifestyle and medication. Your doctor will select the most
appropriate treatment for you. Medications Depending on
the type and severity of your heart failure, your doctor may use the
following medications:
Surgery Heart failure
is a progressive disease that can worsen over time without treatment.
Sometimes, surgical intervention helps. Some surgeries involve removal of
damaged heart muscle, repair of damaged valves, or surgery to correct blocked
arteries. In extreme cases, heart transplantation may be necessary, whereby
surgeons remove your damaged heart and replace it with a human heart from an
organ donor. Pacemaker
Therapy Some types of
heart failure can be improved by pacemakers which enhance the timing and
vigor of the way the heart beats. Some can correct lethal arrhythmias which
are more common in heart failure. These and other devices are
being used more commonly in the treatment of heart failure. |
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