Filed under: heart failure
Read and learn more about heart failure. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: Heart failure?
If someone had a heart attack, and their Troponin levels kept getting higher, does that mean its getting worse?
Also, if the heart attack occurred and there was minor damage to the heart, does that mean heart failure doesnt always happen?
or does heart failure happen all of the time after a heart attack?
A: You can have small heart attacks which are not fatal however they cause scarring on the tissue of heart.
Its when they have a massive heart attack that people die due
HEART FAILURE.
Q: heart failure?
i have a friend who says his heart is failing…and that he hasnt got long to live, everytime i ask about his condition or what the doctors said he changes subjects…he says he has only told me and his parents dont know but he is only 15?
i dont know anything about heart failure but if his heart wasnt functioning properlly wouldnt he be addmitted to hospital or on medication or somthing?
do you guys thinks he is putting it on or could he actually be extermly sick even though he can still run around and come partying and all the rest?
thanks 
A: This is a tough situation. I would think that if his heart was failing him that he wouldn’t be able to run around and party….but maybe he is enjoying the last days of his life. He might really be fine and just calling out for attention, too. I would just continue being friends with him – he might really need you.
Q: Heart Failure?
How could you categorise the effects of heart failure on skeletal muscle dysfunction, i.e structural changes, metabolic pathways.
What headings could all the changes be placed under. Im writing a project and need to place each individual change into its own grouping.
A: I found this..but don’t know when it was updated last..
http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/news/in-vivo/Vol2_Iss07_apr09_03/
this is done on rates…I don’t know …I hope it would be helpfull
http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/7484170
this is the most recent I found….”Vascular rarefaction in peripheral skeletal muscle after experimental heart failure “
http://ajpheart.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/285/4/H1554
good luck
Q: What’s the difference between heart disease & heart failure in dogs?
My Cavalier has heart disease (I think it is MVD). She has been on tablets for several months for it. On the packet it says that they are for the treatment of heart failure in dogs. I used to think that heart failure was when the heart just stopped working and the dog died, but that is obviously not the case. What does heart failure actually mean? Thanks xx
A: http://www.cavalierhealth.org/mitral_valve_disease.htm
This has lots of info.
Heart disease in cavaliers means the mitral valve(and occasionally the tricuspid valve)is diseased and leaking.Heart failure means the disease has progressed till the heart doesn’t pump efficiently and the fluid builds up in the lungs,also known as chf.
The most common drugs for mvd are ace inhibitors.enalapril and benazapril,with lasix added when failure occurs and pimobendan added as they hit later stages of the disease.
Try and find a vet experienced in heart disease.
Q: What are some symptoms of heart failure in women? Is excessive sweating a symptom?
I am 46 year old female with heart failure and take coreg and lisinipril. Lately I’ve noticed tremendous waves of hot flashes and excessive sweating and heat.
A: Stop looking online to match your symptoms and see a doctor. They will help you out if it is. If it isn’t, online will only make you stress more and stress is never good.
Q: can somsone describe the difference between left heart failure and right heart failure?
in etiology, pathogenesis and symptoms. And what are the two ways in which right heart failure can occur, and what are the complications of heart failure?
A: Heart Failure is basically the heart’s inability to function as an effective and efficient pump. The etiology or pathogenesis stems from actual damage to the heart tissue. Damage can occur from myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), stenosis from any of the valves (mitral, aortic, pulmonic, tricuspid), pulmonary hypertension, or disease process such as pericarditis. Complications from heart failure includes a decreased ejection fraction, increased fatigue, general weakness, shortness of breath, dyspnea on exertion, pulmonary edema, and pitting edema to the lower extremities. I hope this helps. Feel free to email me if you have any other questions.
Q: What is the difference between Chronic and Congestive Heart Failure?
I see CHF used as an acronym all the time, for both chronic heart failure and congestive heart failure. Is there a difference between these two? Is one term more correct than the other?
A: chronic means bad ,worst chf is chronic to so they are both chronics
Q: Is a rapid heart rate one of the symptoms of congestive heart failure?
I have a friend who has been diagnosed with acute congestive heart failure. He does not qualify for a heart transplant for several reasons. I remember reading somewhere that towards the end, the heart rate will increase to compensate for the heart damage. Is this a symptom that he may die soon?
A: Arrhythmias occur in congestive heart failure. And a rapid heartbeat does not necessarily mean he’s going to die soon; chf patients experience episodes of arrhythmia.
My brother died of chf, and his heart was beating normally.
Q: How to treat heart failure disease naturally in dogs?
I am looking for a natural alternative to treat heart failure disease in dogs. My beloved Collie has been diagnosed last week and I am scared that all this medication will kill him. Any of you tried alternative medicine with success? Please help!
A: if you dont give him all the medication it will kill him
there is no natural way
you can not give him the mebs and slowly kill him and he will suffer or give him a longer life and give him the mebs
Q: Can a person live with Congestive heart failure?
I had hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, which i just found out this week has turned into dialated cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure. Is it possible to get it under control and live with congestive heart failure?
A: I suggest you try this website. It is a gold mine of information and you’ll find out about everything there is to know about CHF or join in the forum and ask you own questions. This site covers it all..http://www.chfpatients.com…Good Luck
For a matter of information here is a preview of what’s there.
Make a donation to CHFpatients.com
Search CHFpatients.com
The Beat Goes On – message boards
Official CHF Treatment & Testing Guidelines
Heart Info Mailing List
Me Too! – others in the same boat
Who’s Who around here
Archive of heart forum posts
Talk To Jon
Heart Failure Info
Read The Manual!
All about heart failure
Exercising with heart failure
Heart failure FAQ
Diastolic heart failure
Pulmonary hypertension
WWW heart failure links
Medspeak medical dictionary
Lots of heart failure info in text files
Social Security Disability
Low sodium cooking
Low sodium recipes
CHF Treatment
The New Page!
Find a heart failure specialist in your area
Heartbytes
Heart failure tests
Heart failure surgeries and procedures
ICDs, LVADs, pacemakers & artificial hearts
Just kidding
CHF Meds
Standard heart failure meds
ACE inhibitors
Coreg & beta-blockers
Beta-blocker Over-view
New heart failure drugs
IV drugs for heart failure
Financial help with drugs
Supplements & Alternative
Nutrient Stew
CoQ10 for heart failure
Minerals and heart failure
Vitamins and heart failure
Alternative therapies & heart failure
Herbs and heart failure
Nutrients for heart failure
Heart Transplant
Heart transplant – A to Z
Heart transplant meds
Transplant Update – the latest
One man’s heart transplant story
Links to more heart transplant info
Spirituality
Why a heart site has spiritual pages
The Christmas Terror
The Best Christian Bands
The Downhill Slide
Faith
Smokin! – You can quit!
Spiritual Windows wallpapers
Jon’s Place – sister site
Jon’s Place
Jon on heart failure
Jokes
Games
How Jon’s Place happened
Jon’s random thoughts
Windows desktop wallpapers
Jon on Coreg, exercise & the Atkins’ Diet
Find What You Need
Search CHFpatients.com
Start Here
Search Tip Here
CHFpatients.com, Inc.
Hope this helps you out !!
Q: What are the symptoms and treatment for chronic heart failure?
I have already had quintuplet by pass surgery in 2003 and then had 5 stents placed in my heart in 2005. Recently I have had severe edema in my legs and my ankles and feet. I went to a few vascular surgeons and they said it was not any clots or blockages to my veins or a. They said my problems were most likely chronic heart failure. I am now on Lasix and weigh myself every day,but still feel bad. Any suggestions?
A: If you are now on Lasix that will help you remove the excess fluids that is in your legs and ankles. One thing you have to do is to limit your fluid intake. Since you have chronic heart failure, your heart cannot tolerate too much fluid in the body. This will make you more ill. Excess fluid intake can also accumulate not only on your legs and ankles but also in the lungs which will make you breathless. Try to ascertain or ask your cardiologist how much fluid intake you are allowed per day.
Q: My 23 yr old brother has heart failure,does anyone know the leading heart surgeon in the Uk for a 2nd opinion?
My brother is in heart failure due to severe aortic regurgitation. I am seeking a second opinion as surgery is expected within the next few weeks. I’m struggling to find who is the leading heart consultant/surgeon in the UK to do this. Can anyone help?
A: my daughter had a ross procedure done for severe aortic stenosis and regurgitation. She was born with this but it progressed. Luckily due to her having a close eye kept on her she wasn’t in heart failure yet.
It sounds like your brother was born with a bicuspid valve?
Paediatric cardiac surgeons operated on my daughter.
I guess you could try to get a second opinion, try looking up hospitals in uk who have cardiac surgeons, they sometimes publish their mortality rates etc.
I wish your brother all the best and hope he gets safetly through his surgery.
Hospitals to try: guys and st thomas
leeds general (jimmys)
if you need to speak to a congenital heart disease specialists then you could try Alder Hey-(excellent surgeons)
Birmingham childrens hospital
St Ormond street
Q: What are the risks associated with congestive heart failure and pregnancy?
My friend recently found out she is pregnant. When giving birth to her son the dr’s discovered she has congestive heart failure. She has made an appointment with her dr. but we were wanting to find out in advance what the risks are. Please list credible web sites that may help.
A: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare disorder in which a heart muscle weakening is noted within the final month of pregnancy or within 5 months after delivery.
http://cardiophile.com/what-is-peripartum-cardiomyopathy
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000188.htm
Q: Is it important for people with congestive heart failure to avoid sweets and refined sugars?
I have cogestive heart failure, but no diabetes. Do I have to control my intake of refined sugars?
A: well it depends if you would like to have a heart attack – stay away from the rubbish food, do some exercise (if u can i know it might be tough) and definately see ur doctor about things like EPO and ADH – u need to maintain ur blood volume so make sure u drink lots and lots and lots of water this is very important
Q: How much time can one have between heart failure and defibrillation in order to survive?
A friend of mine has cardiac problems and has a chance of experiencing heart failure. Can anyone tell me what the longest timeframe between heart failure and defibrillation is? I would like to know how long it would take before complete brain death, so I could have a general idea of when the paramedics should be arriving, and if they are late or not.
Thanks.
A: Heart failure is a condition where the heart muscle is weakened and doesn’t function as well as it should, there also may be parts of the muscle which have died as a result of coronary artery blockages. You wouldn’t defibrillate for heart failure unless they went into ventricular fibrillation.
From onset of ventricular fibrillation (cardiac arrest) you have about 4 minutes before you get brain damage. If you are present when the patient has a cardiac arrest you need to start basic life support (CPR) as soon as possible to keep the patient going until the paramedics arrive. The quicker that advanced life support starts the better (drugs and defibrillation) but it’s highly unlikely they would arrive within 4 minutes so it’s up to you to make sure that you can do basic life support if you want to help your friend survive if the worst happens.
If he’s at risk of ventricular fibrillation then they might consider fitting him with a BiVentricular ICD (internal defibrillator) also known as a CRT Defibrillator (cardiac resynchronisation therapy defib) which helps to synchronise the bottom chambers of the heart but will also deliver a shock if he goes into cardiac arrest.
Read and learn more about congestive heart failure. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: Can a person live with Congestive heart failure?
I had hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, which i just found out this week has turned into dialated cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure. Is it possible to get it under control and live with congestive heart failure?
A: I suggest you try this website. It is a gold mine of information and you’ll find out about everything there is to know about CHF or join in the forum and ask you own questions. This site covers it all..http://www.chfpatients.com…Good Luck
For a matter of information here is a preview of what’s there.
Make a donation to CHFpatients.com
Search CHFpatients.com
The Beat Goes On – message boards
Official CHF Treatment & Testing Guidelines
Heart Info Mailing List
Me Too! – others in the same boat
Who’s Who around here
Archive of heart forum posts
Talk To Jon
Heart Failure Info
Read The Manual!
All about heart failure
Exercising with heart failure
Heart failure FAQ
Diastolic heart failure
Pulmonary hypertension
WWW heart failure links
Medspeak medical dictionary
Lots of heart failure info in text files
Social Security Disability
Low sodium cooking
Low sodium recipes
CHF Treatment
The New Page!
Find a heart failure specialist in your area
Heartbytes
Heart failure tests
Heart failure surgeries and procedures
ICDs, LVADs, pacemakers & artificial hearts
Just kidding
CHF Meds
Standard heart failure meds
ACE inhibitors
Coreg & beta-blockers
Beta-blocker Over-view
New heart failure drugs
IV drugs for heart failure
Financial help with drugs
Supplements & Alternative
Nutrient Stew
CoQ10 for heart failure
Minerals and heart failure
Vitamins and heart failure
Alternative therapies & heart failure
Herbs and heart failure
Nutrients for heart failure
Heart Transplant
Heart transplant – A to Z
Heart transplant meds
Transplant Update – the latest
One man’s heart transplant story
Links to more heart transplant info
Spirituality
Why a heart site has spiritual pages
The Christmas Terror
The Best Christian Bands
The Downhill Slide
Faith
Smokin! – You can quit!
Spiritual Windows wallpapers
Jon’s Place – sister site
Jon’s Place
Jon on heart failure
Jokes
Games
How Jon’s Place happened
Jon’s random thoughts
Windows desktop wallpapers
Jon on Coreg, exercise & the Atkins’ Diet
Find What You Need
Search CHFpatients.com
Start Here
Search Tip Here
CHFpatients.com, Inc.
Hope this helps you out !!
Q: What is the difference between Chronic and Congestive Heart Failure?
I see CHF used as an acronym all the time, for both chronic heart failure and congestive heart failure. Is there a difference between these two? Is one term more correct than the other?
A: chronic means bad ,worst chf is chronic to so they are both chronics
Q: What are the risks associated with congestive heart failure and pregnancy?
My friend recently found out she is pregnant. When giving birth to her son the dr’s discovered she has congestive heart failure. She has made an appointment with her dr. but we were wanting to find out in advance what the risks are. Please list credible web sites that may help.
A: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare disorder in which a heart muscle weakening is noted within the final month of pregnancy or within 5 months after delivery.
http://cardiophile.com/what-is-peripartum-cardiomyopathy
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000188.htm
Q: Is a rapid heart rate one of the symptoms of congestive heart failure?
I have a friend who has been diagnosed with acute congestive heart failure. He does not qualify for a heart transplant for several reasons. I remember reading somewhere that towards the end, the heart rate will increase to compensate for the heart damage. Is this a symptom that he may die soon?
A: Arrhythmias occur in congestive heart failure. And a rapid heartbeat does not necessarily mean he’s going to die soon; chf patients experience episodes of arrhythmia.
My brother died of chf, and his heart was beating normally.
Q: What is the difference between Congestive Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease?
For all you really smart people out there:
What is the difference between Congestive Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease?
A: CHF means that the heart is becoming an ineffective pump. As a result, fluid starts backing up in to the lungs and body. CAD means that plaque buildup is narrowing the blood vessels supplying the heart, the precursor to having a heart attack
Q: How long can a young person live with congestive heart failure?
My fiance is only 20 and has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I’m in a panic because all of my online research says most people with this condition only live 5 or 10 years. Is this still true if you are diagnosed so young?
Does anyone know someone that was diagnosed with this early in life and live a long full life?
A: good advise here , i have chf since 2001 . i had to stop those fast foods and salt, take my medications and i have contact with the nurse once a week , and i have a new pacemaker . keep your appointments with your doctor, your fiance can have a normal life.
Q: How do you prevent congestive heart failure?
I have lost two grandparents, an aunt and an uncle…all died of congestive heart failure. It looks like an awful way to die.
Is this genetic? What can I do now, while I am young, to keep it from happening to me when I am older? Am I doomed from my genetics? Can I prevent it?
A: Prevention
Treat your high blood pressure with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
Treat your high cholesterol with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
DO NOT smoke
Avoid alcohol use
Take an ACE inhibitor if you have heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
Treat arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and keep your heart rate under control.
Treat an underlying thyroid disorder.
Also, consider the following lifestyle habits, especially if you have a strong family history of CHF:
Reduce salt intake.
Exercise
Please see the webages for more details on Heart failure.
Q: Do people with congestive heart failure have hypertension or hypotension?
I know that hypertension can cause congestive heart failure. However, once a person has congestive heart failure, do they have hypotension or hypertension?
My husband contends hypotension, but I think hypertension. Who’s right?
A: CHF has more than one cause, so the answer is “both”.
For example a patient with CHF from a weak heart (from multiple heart attacks) tends to have a low BP. Some other conditions cause CHF with normal or high BP.
Q: Can anyone help me understand about congestive heart failure?
My gandmother is 81 and she had a stroke about 2 years ago, which has left her paralized on her left side. Last night she was admitted into the hospital with congestive heart failure. What does this mean and what are the chances of her living through this?
A: Sorry about your grandmother; I know it must be difficult for you.
Congestive heart failure means the heart muscle is weakening and is becoming unable to keep up with the demands of keeping the body supplied with oxygen.
This is considered a chronic condition, but there are treatments such as medications and devices that can assist the heart. Your grandmother’s doctors will also consider her age when deciding on treatment.
Q: how long does the average person live after congestive heart failure?
I had a heart attack on dec 25th of last year 2007, they had to put in three stints, the next night a blood clot caused my stints to collapse causing once again another heart attack. They explained to me that i have congestive heart failure with an ejection fraction of 30-35%. I have looked up various sites on the subject, but still have no answer. The doctors don’t help me either. Could someone please help me to obtain an answer?
A: Congestive heart failure is often undiagnosed due to a lack of a universally agreed definition and difficulties in diagnosis, particularly when the condition is considered “mild”. Even with the best therapy, heart failure is associated with an annual mortality of 10%. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65.
Dr. James Jeah MD
Q: What are the risks of getting pregnant with Moderate Congestive heart Failure?
I am 31 and had a heart condtion that has turned into congestive heart failure. I have no children, and have been put on Coreg (heart medication) and Avapro (to dialate my blood vessels and lower my blood pressure) if we can get my heart stronger my husband wants me to try to have our own child, but i think its to risky. I have an ejection fraction right now of 35% and BNP of 465 currently. Any advise? I think its to much of a risk for my heart…i would love to hear from anyone.
A: Please, please, please talk this over with your cardiologist. The risk depends on the cause of your cardiomyopathy and noone on Yahoo has enough information on your condition to advise you properly. In fact, depending on the type of cardiomyopathy you have, pregnancy could kill you. And you should absolutely not become pregnant on avapro. Talk to your doctor. And good luck.
Q: Help with essay on congestive heart failure?
I need to write a paper on the following. Does anyone know of any good websites with good information:
“Your mother’s elderly aunt has congestive heart failure. Your mother asks you what does this mean? Explain in detail what has happened to the cardiovascular system, the normal compensations which occur but make the situation wore and value of medications and therapies prescribed by the physician in charge.
What does “wore” mean in this context?
A: Try the AHA and medicinenet.com websites as both are very valuable resources.
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4585
http://www.medicinenet.com/congestive_heart_failure/article.htm
Q: Do people with congestive heart failure throw up?
My Dad was hospitalized for congestive heart failure a couple of years ago and did not heed calls to lose weight or to stop eating so much.
Now he just sits in his chair (in fact also sleeps in his chair because he has to sleep sitting up due to congestion) and watches tv.
He can’t go get the newspaper without having trouble walking and has to sit down and rest while doing anything, like even cooking his breakfast.
Now, he has been throwing up. Do you think this is related to his congestive heart failure?
A: sing and symptom of chronic heart failure:
–Fatigue and weakness
–Rapid or irregular heartbeat
–Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you exert yourself or when you lie down
–Reduced ability to exercise
–Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm
–Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet
–Swelling of your abdomen (ascites)
–Sudden weight gain from fluid retention
–Lack of appetite and *nausea *
–Difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness
as you see nausea is a symptom of CHF that may leading to throwing up.
Q: My dog has congestive heart failure. can i give him an extra dose of furosemide?
My dog has congestive heart failure. He has been doing bad lately and the docter hasn’t been in to see him. We are going to put him down tuesday but until then we want to make him as comfortable as possible. I was wondering if anyone knows if it is okay to give him a second dose of furosemide 20mg pills even if it wasn’t directed by the doctor to do so?
A: Normally, I’d say no. But in this case, I can’t see any harm. Since he’ll be put down soon, it can only make him more comfortable.
Best of luck.
Q: Can someone get better from congestive heart failure?
My grandmother just went into the hospital, and was told she has congestive heart failure. She also has emphysema. However, she is being released after they drained a lot of fluid from her. (Sorry for the lack of medical termenology). Can she recover from the heart failure? I know she cannot recover from the emphysema, but I thought once you had heart failure, there was nothing they could do…is this true?
I know this is not enough detail to say for sure, any answer would be great. Thanks in advance.
A: Congestive heart failure can be treated with medicines and most people get good relief. There are several persons fairly controlled on medications, living for years. If there is a reversible cause which can be corrected by surgery or angioplasty, then the results are much better.
There is a modern type of pacemaker which can be used to treat selected cases of congestive heart failure known as cardiac resynchronization therapy.
There is also a final option of heart transplantation, though often done only in younger individuals.
Read and learn more about heart failure congestive. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: What is the difference between Chronic and Congestive Heart Failure?
I see CHF used as an acronym all the time, for both chronic heart failure and congestive heart failure. Is there a difference between these two? Is one term more correct than the other?
A: chronic means bad ,worst chf is chronic to so they are both chronics
Q: Can a person live with Congestive heart failure?
I had hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, which i just found out this week has turned into dialated cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure. Is it possible to get it under control and live with congestive heart failure?
A: I suggest you try this website. It is a gold mine of information and you’ll find out about everything there is to know about CHF or join in the forum and ask you own questions. This site covers it all..http://www.chfpatients.com…Good Luck
For a matter of information here is a preview of what’s there.
Make a donation to CHFpatients.com
Search CHFpatients.com
The Beat Goes On – message boards
Official CHF Treatment & Testing Guidelines
Heart Info Mailing List
Me Too! – others in the same boat
Who’s Who around here
Archive of heart forum posts
Talk To Jon
Heart Failure Info
Read The Manual!
All about heart failure
Exercising with heart failure
Heart failure FAQ
Diastolic heart failure
Pulmonary hypertension
WWW heart failure links
Medspeak medical dictionary
Lots of heart failure info in text files
Social Security Disability
Low sodium cooking
Low sodium recipes
CHF Treatment
The New Page!
Find a heart failure specialist in your area
Heartbytes
Heart failure tests
Heart failure surgeries and procedures
ICDs, LVADs, pacemakers & artificial hearts
Just kidding
CHF Meds
Standard heart failure meds
ACE inhibitors
Coreg & beta-blockers
Beta-blocker Over-view
New heart failure drugs
IV drugs for heart failure
Financial help with drugs
Supplements & Alternative
Nutrient Stew
CoQ10 for heart failure
Minerals and heart failure
Vitamins and heart failure
Alternative therapies & heart failure
Herbs and heart failure
Nutrients for heart failure
Heart Transplant
Heart transplant – A to Z
Heart transplant meds
Transplant Update – the latest
One man’s heart transplant story
Links to more heart transplant info
Spirituality
Why a heart site has spiritual pages
The Christmas Terror
The Best Christian Bands
The Downhill Slide
Faith
Smokin! – You can quit!
Spiritual Windows wallpapers
Jon’s Place – sister site
Jon’s Place
Jon on heart failure
Jokes
Games
How Jon’s Place happened
Jon’s random thoughts
Windows desktop wallpapers
Jon on Coreg, exercise & the Atkins’ Diet
Find What You Need
Search CHFpatients.com
Start Here
Search Tip Here
CHFpatients.com, Inc.
Hope this helps you out !!
Q: What are the risks associated with congestive heart failure and pregnancy?
My friend recently found out she is pregnant. When giving birth to her son the dr’s discovered she has congestive heart failure. She has made an appointment with her dr. but we were wanting to find out in advance what the risks are. Please list credible web sites that may help.
A: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare disorder in which a heart muscle weakening is noted within the final month of pregnancy or within 5 months after delivery.
http://cardiophile.com/what-is-peripartum-cardiomyopathy
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000188.htm
Q: Is a rapid heart rate one of the symptoms of congestive heart failure?
I have a friend who has been diagnosed with acute congestive heart failure. He does not qualify for a heart transplant for several reasons. I remember reading somewhere that towards the end, the heart rate will increase to compensate for the heart damage. Is this a symptom that he may die soon?
A: Arrhythmias occur in congestive heart failure. And a rapid heartbeat does not necessarily mean he’s going to die soon; chf patients experience episodes of arrhythmia.
My brother died of chf, and his heart was beating normally.
Q: What is the difference between Congestive Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease?
For all you really smart people out there:
What is the difference between Congestive Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease?
A: CHF means that the heart is becoming an ineffective pump. As a result, fluid starts backing up in to the lungs and body. CAD means that plaque buildup is narrowing the blood vessels supplying the heart, the precursor to having a heart attack
Q: How long can a young person live with congestive heart failure?
My fiance is only 20 and has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I’m in a panic because all of my online research says most people with this condition only live 5 or 10 years. Is this still true if you are diagnosed so young?
Does anyone know someone that was diagnosed with this early in life and live a long full life?
A: good advise here , i have chf since 2001 . i had to stop those fast foods and salt, take my medications and i have contact with the nurse once a week , and i have a new pacemaker . keep your appointments with your doctor, your fiance can have a normal life.
Q: How do you prevent congestive heart failure?
I have lost two grandparents, an aunt and an uncle…all died of congestive heart failure. It looks like an awful way to die.
Is this genetic? What can I do now, while I am young, to keep it from happening to me when I am older? Am I doomed from my genetics? Can I prevent it?
A: Prevention
Treat your high blood pressure with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
Treat your high cholesterol with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
DO NOT smoke
Avoid alcohol use
Take an ACE inhibitor if you have heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
Treat arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and keep your heart rate under control.
Treat an underlying thyroid disorder.
Also, consider the following lifestyle habits, especially if you have a strong family history of CHF:
Reduce salt intake.
Exercise
Please see the webages for more details on Heart failure.
Q: Do people with congestive heart failure have hypertension or hypotension?
I know that hypertension can cause congestive heart failure. However, once a person has congestive heart failure, do they have hypotension or hypertension?
My husband contends hypotension, but I think hypertension. Who’s right?
A: CHF has more than one cause, so the answer is “both”.
For example a patient with CHF from a weak heart (from multiple heart attacks) tends to have a low BP. Some other conditions cause CHF with normal or high BP.
Q: Can anyone help me understand about congestive heart failure?
My gandmother is 81 and she had a stroke about 2 years ago, which has left her paralized on her left side. Last night she was admitted into the hospital with congestive heart failure. What does this mean and what are the chances of her living through this?
A: Sorry about your grandmother; I know it must be difficult for you.
Congestive heart failure means the heart muscle is weakening and is becoming unable to keep up with the demands of keeping the body supplied with oxygen.
This is considered a chronic condition, but there are treatments such as medications and devices that can assist the heart. Your grandmother’s doctors will also consider her age when deciding on treatment.
Q: how long does the average person live after congestive heart failure?
I had a heart attack on dec 25th of last year 2007, they had to put in three stints, the next night a blood clot caused my stints to collapse causing once again another heart attack. They explained to me that i have congestive heart failure with an ejection fraction of 30-35%. I have looked up various sites on the subject, but still have no answer. The doctors don’t help me either. Could someone please help me to obtain an answer?
A: Congestive heart failure is often undiagnosed due to a lack of a universally agreed definition and difficulties in diagnosis, particularly when the condition is considered “mild”. Even with the best therapy, heart failure is associated with an annual mortality of 10%. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65.
Dr. James Jeah MD
Q: What are the risks of getting pregnant with Moderate Congestive heart Failure?
I am 31 and had a heart condtion that has turned into congestive heart failure. I have no children, and have been put on Coreg (heart medication) and Avapro (to dialate my blood vessels and lower my blood pressure) if we can get my heart stronger my husband wants me to try to have our own child, but i think its to risky. I have an ejection fraction right now of 35% and BNP of 465 currently. Any advise? I think its to much of a risk for my heart…i would love to hear from anyone.
A: Please, please, please talk this over with your cardiologist. The risk depends on the cause of your cardiomyopathy and noone on Yahoo has enough information on your condition to advise you properly. In fact, depending on the type of cardiomyopathy you have, pregnancy could kill you. And you should absolutely not become pregnant on avapro. Talk to your doctor. And good luck.
Q: Help with essay on congestive heart failure?
I need to write a paper on the following. Does anyone know of any good websites with good information:
“Your mother’s elderly aunt has congestive heart failure. Your mother asks you what does this mean? Explain in detail what has happened to the cardiovascular system, the normal compensations which occur but make the situation wore and value of medications and therapies prescribed by the physician in charge.
What does “wore” mean in this context?
A: Try the AHA and medicinenet.com websites as both are very valuable resources.
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4585
http://www.medicinenet.com/congestive_heart_failure/article.htm
Q: Do people with congestive heart failure throw up?
My Dad was hospitalized for congestive heart failure a couple of years ago and did not heed calls to lose weight or to stop eating so much.
Now he just sits in his chair (in fact also sleeps in his chair because he has to sleep sitting up due to congestion) and watches tv.
He can’t go get the newspaper without having trouble walking and has to sit down and rest while doing anything, like even cooking his breakfast.
Now, he has been throwing up. Do you think this is related to his congestive heart failure?
A: sing and symptom of chronic heart failure:
–Fatigue and weakness
–Rapid or irregular heartbeat
–Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you exert yourself or when you lie down
–Reduced ability to exercise
–Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm
–Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet
–Swelling of your abdomen (ascites)
–Sudden weight gain from fluid retention
–Lack of appetite and *nausea *
–Difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness
as you see nausea is a symptom of CHF that may leading to throwing up.
Q: My dog has congestive heart failure. can i give him an extra dose of furosemide?
My dog has congestive heart failure. He has been doing bad lately and the docter hasn’t been in to see him. We are going to put him down tuesday but until then we want to make him as comfortable as possible. I was wondering if anyone knows if it is okay to give him a second dose of furosemide 20mg pills even if it wasn’t directed by the doctor to do so?
A: Normally, I’d say no. But in this case, I can’t see any harm. Since he’ll be put down soon, it can only make him more comfortable.
Best of luck.
Q: Can someone get better from congestive heart failure?
My grandmother just went into the hospital, and was told she has congestive heart failure. She also has emphysema. However, she is being released after they drained a lot of fluid from her. (Sorry for the lack of medical termenology). Can she recover from the heart failure? I know she cannot recover from the emphysema, but I thought once you had heart failure, there was nothing they could do…is this true?
I know this is not enough detail to say for sure, any answer would be great. Thanks in advance.
A: Congestive heart failure can be treated with medicines and most people get good relief. There are several persons fairly controlled on medications, living for years. If there is a reversible cause which can be corrected by surgery or angioplasty, then the results are much better.
There is a modern type of pacemaker which can be used to treat selected cases of congestive heart failure known as cardiac resynchronization therapy.
There is also a final option of heart transplantation, though often done only in younger individuals.
Read and learn more about heart failure symptoms. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: What are some symptoms of heart failure in women? Is excessive sweating a symptom?
I am 46 year old female with heart failure and take coreg and lisinipril. Lately I’ve noticed tremendous waves of hot flashes and excessive sweating and heat.
A: Stop looking online to match your symptoms and see a doctor. They will help you out if it is. If it isn’t, online will only make you stress more and stress is never good.
Q: Is a rapid heart rate one of the symptoms of congestive heart failure?
I have a friend who has been diagnosed with acute congestive heart failure. He does not qualify for a heart transplant for several reasons. I remember reading somewhere that towards the end, the heart rate will increase to compensate for the heart damage. Is this a symptom that he may die soon?
A: Arrhythmias occur in congestive heart failure. And a rapid heartbeat does not necessarily mean he’s going to die soon; chf patients experience episodes of arrhythmia.
My brother died of chf, and his heart was beating normally.
Q: Congestive heart failure symptoms?
I have high bp. Treated with Coreg 180/110. Untreated-210/130. I also take Hydrochlorothiazide. I have been very tired for the last 2 weeks and my left leg and foot are retaining fluid.I have also been having weird headaches.Heart palps have become common-but more frequent as of late. Any help would be great.
Oh yeah,I am a 35yo female.
5′6 160lbs
I have been short of breath like my lungs won’t fill to the point of caughing
A: Exercise is a must. A mix of cardio and light strength training is an absolute necessity. It will help your body regulate. Additionally I would recommend a high quality garlic supplement. Garlicin is a cheap alternative that provides very high quality Allicin (the active ingredient in garlic that helps your heart). Chemically garlic is VERY unstable so I wouldn’t recommend trying to get enough garlic by eating it. The allicin takes time to become available in garlic and if it is cooked at all any possible allicin (or at least most of it) is destroyed.
You probably have a poor family hx because you are too yound and small to be experiencing these problems. I would also recommend Cayenne in capsule form. Be prepared it may cause heart burn. Start off on the smallest dose possible. IT WORKS WONDERS FOR CHF. Again be careful because there are some people who are particularly sensitive to Cayenne and it might make you vomit if you take too much.
If you are serious about controlling or curing your CHF you have to head to your local health food store and get on the Garlic, Cayenne and probably some Enteric Coated Omega-3 and CoQ-10. It will work if you combine them with routine exercise.
Also try limiting your fluid intake.
Q: What are the signs and symptoms of left sided heart failure due to decreased cardiac output?
What are the signs and symptoms of left sided heart failure due to pulmonary congestion?
A: Left sided heart failure causes blood to back up into the lungs, which cause shortness of breath. It’s usually a systolic heart failure, meaning the problem is in the left ventricle and it’s inability to pump effectively to maintain cardiac output to perfuse the body. A way to understand symptoms is to think forward from the left ventricle: cardiac output is insufficient to deliver the needed oxygen and nutrients to the cells, so there will be fatigue, weakness, reduced ability to exercise, decreased ability to concentrate,decreased urine output, etc. Then think backwards from the left ventricle: blood backs up into the left atrium, then into pulmonary system. This causes shortness of breath with activity, or when you lie down, persistent coughing and white or blood-tinged sputum (phlegm), weight gain from fluid retention, just to name some.
Q: Can a bra cause a woman to have symptoms similar heart failure?
My bras cut off circulation and make my fingers blue as your balls.
A: No
Q: I have concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, and symptoms of heart failure, is it possible to have COPD too
also have chronic hypertension, should I take Advair?
I know this is two questions.
A: Yes, you can have COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) too! Ask your doctor if Advair is right for your condition.
Concentric LVH is probably a result of the chronic hypertension. It means that the wall of your left ventricle is thickened or enlarged. Hypertension that isn’t well controlled makes your heart work harder to pump the blood out to your body, thereby making your heart muscle thicker or hypertrophic. Keep a close eye on your blood pressure so you can prevent this from worsening! That’s one muscle that you don’t want growing too much!
Hope this helps.
Q: Are there any symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure to look for?
I know someone who’s legs are swollen and bruised beyond being able to explain (going on 7 days). Her DR is out of the country for 2 months and she is refusing to go to the ER. Her local pharmacist even called his personal DR for her. He suggested CHF. She has tried Lasix with no positive outcome. Have you or anyone you know ever experienced this?
A: my father has congestive heart failure. before he has surgery, we noticed that he was tired all the time. he would have shortness of breath, and his energy level had dropped a whole lot. CHF is when the heart doesnt have the strength to push and pump the blood as needed, and it basically just sits there and over time, unseen, it will back up in the lining of the heart and the lungs, causing the lining to become weak. My father has a trac now, and depends on a ventillator. you need to convence your friend to get her rear-end to a doctor soon! tell your friend, until she can get to the dr, slow down her salt intake, and her fluid intake as well. no alcohol what so ever!! Lasix will make a small difference, but not enough. she needs to be checked for diabetes, and blood clots. sounds like pour circulation.
Q: Is one of the symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure having a persistent cough?
Kind of crackly.
A: Non productive and productive coughs can be a symptom of Congestive Heart Failure.
More common symptoms are shortness of breath, edema in the legs or abdomen, inability to lie flat, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
Q: What are the symptoms and treatment for chronic heart failure?
I have already had quintuplet by pass surgery in 2003 and then had 5 stents placed in my heart in 2005. Recently I have had severe edema in my legs and my ankles and feet. I went to a few vascular surgeons and they said it was not any clots or blockages to my veins or a. They said my problems were most likely chronic heart failure. I am now on Lasix and weigh myself every day,but still feel bad. Any suggestions?
A: If you are now on Lasix that will help you remove the excess fluids that is in your legs and ankles. One thing you have to do is to limit your fluid intake. Since you have chronic heart failure, your heart cannot tolerate too much fluid in the body. This will make you more ill. Excess fluid intake can also accumulate not only on your legs and ankles but also in the lungs which will make you breathless. Try to ascertain or ask your cardiologist how much fluid intake you are allowed per day.
Q: What are the symptoms of heart failure?
A: fluid build up, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, chest pain
Q: Please.Im scared I might have symptoms of heart failure?
I have been to two doctors and a nurse friend says that they think that im depressed but have no issues with my heart.One was a vascular specialist..I do however hear my heart beat clearly in my ears.,a benign condition so they say ..{I looked up heart failure and really don’t seem to have any symptoms of heart failure other than perhaps hearing somthing that doesnt sound right when I hear my heartbeat.I noticed it alot this morning when I was resting because of fluid in my ears.It sounds like my heart is hesitating and almost as if its going to stop.I don’t know if this is just the sound of the blow flow or breathing or what.I can hear my heartbeat so well its like its in my head.I got worried and tried to find the answer but everything that I read online suggest other symptoms I don’t have..
This was another thing that my doctors noted that they just didn’t have reason to believe I had any heart issue..I am just wondering could the sound I hear be normal cardiac sound or sinister?
A: Heart failure does not mean the heart stops, it is simply not pumping blood as it should so the body does not get as much blood and oxygen as it needs.
It is also your responsibility to carefully monitor yourself and help manage your condition. One important way to do this is to track your weight on a daily basis. Weight gain can be a sign that you are retaining fluid and that the pump function of your heart is worsening. Make sure you weigh yourself at the same time each day and on the same scale, with little to no clothes on.
Other important measures include:
* Take your medications as directed. Carry a list of medications with you wherever you go.
* Limit salt and sodium intake.
* Don’t smoke.
* Stay active. For example, walk or ride a stationary bicycle. Your doctor can provide a safe and effective exercise plan based on your degree of heart failure and how well you do on tests that check the strength and function of your heart. DO NOT exercise on days that your weight has gone up from fluid retention or you are not feeling well.
* Lose weight if you are overweight.
* Get enough rest, including after exercise, eating, or other activities. This allows your heart to rest as well. Keep your feet elevated to decrease swelling.
Here are some tips to lower your salt and sodium intake:
* Look for foods that are labeled “low-sodium,” “sodium-free,” “no salt added,” or “unsalted.” Check the total sodium content on food labels. Be especially careful of canned, packaged, and frozen foods. A nutritionist can teach you how to understand these labels.
* Don’t cook with salt or add salt to what you are eating. Try pepper, garlic, lemon, or other spices for flavor instead. Be careful of packaged spice blends as these often contain salt or salt products (like monosodium glutamate, MSG).
* Avoid foods that are naturally high in sodium, like anchovies, meats (particularly cured meats, bacon, hot dogs, sausage, bologna, ham, and salami), nuts, olives, pickles, sauerkraut, soy and Worcestershire sauces, tomato and other vegetable juices, and cheese.
* Take care when eating out. Stick to steamed, grilled, baked, boiled, and broiled foods with no added salt, sauce, or cheese.
* Use oil and vinegar, rather than bottled dressings, on salads.
* Eat fresh fruit or sorbet when having dessert.
Please see the web pages for more details on Heart failure.
Q: Is congestive heart failure a symptom or a disease itself?
What are some of the symptoms? I have breathing problems & sometimes my feet swell big. I work nights at a sit down job and I think that may be why my feet swell because when I get sleep and am moving around they dont do it.
A: chf is a condition that your heart is in and will remain in. if you have CHF, common symptoms are sob, but they generally don’t relieve them self. usually you end up in the hospital because you fill up fill fluid so much in your lungs you feel like you could drown in your own fluid. lasix is a the most common drug to relieve symptoms of chf. with your legs swelling, at a sit down job, your feet swell as a sign of poor circulation. mainly because your hips are always bent, slowing down blood flow to your feet. pressure builds up and your capillaries began to leak fluid and it accumulated in your ankles and legs, which is why when your walking around or sleeping, your hips are straight and there is no resistance. try taking some aspirin. i take aspirin when i am going to be sitting a lot on a road trip on at a desk to prevent blood clots and poor circulation. over time, constant resistance or pressure in your legs could cause a clot which can be very dangerous. good luck
Q: What are the symptoms of right sided heart failure?
A: The most common manifestation of right sided heart failure is peripheral oedema, generally in the feet.
This happens because the right ventricle is damaged and is unable to adequately pump blood into the pulmonary system, blood backs up through the right atria and begins to pool in the limbs.
Q: What are the symptoms of left sided heart failure?
A: Symptoms
Shortness of breath
Difficulty lying down; need to sleep with the head elevated to avoid shortness of breath
Sensation of feeling the heartbeat (palpitations)
Irregular or rapid pulse
Cough (produces frothy or blood-tinged mucus)
Fatigue, weakness, faintness
Weight gain from fluid retention
Decreased urine production (oliguria)
Infants may have poor feeding, weight loss, and failure to thrive
Q: my friend is suffering from severe chest pain and shortness of breath.is this congestive heart failure symptom?
doctor has prescribed a drug named “digoxin”.he usually vomits and gets tired after that.can you tell me more about his disease?
A: Heart failure is a syndrome of ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular failure causes shortness of breath and fatigue, and right ventricular failure causes peripheral and abdominal fluid accumulation; the ventricles can be involved together or separately. Diagnosis is initially clinical, supported by chest x-ray, echocardiography, and levels of plasma natriuretic peptides. Treatment includes diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, β-blockers, aldosterone antagonists, specialized implantable pacemakers, and correction of the underlying disorder.
Digoxin is used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). It helps the heart work better and it helps control your heart rate.
Read and learn more about congestive heart failure symptoms. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: Is a rapid heart rate one of the symptoms of congestive heart failure?
I have a friend who has been diagnosed with acute congestive heart failure. He does not qualify for a heart transplant for several reasons. I remember reading somewhere that towards the end, the heart rate will increase to compensate for the heart damage. Is this a symptom that he may die soon?
A: Arrhythmias occur in congestive heart failure. And a rapid heartbeat does not necessarily mean he’s going to die soon; chf patients experience episodes of arrhythmia.
My brother died of chf, and his heart was beating normally.
Q: Congestive heart failure symptoms?
I have high bp. Treated with Coreg 180/110. Untreated-210/130. I also take Hydrochlorothiazide. I have been very tired for the last 2 weeks and my left leg and foot are retaining fluid.I have also been having weird headaches.Heart palps have become common-but more frequent as of late. Any help would be great.
Oh yeah,I am a 35yo female.
5′6 160lbs
I have been short of breath like my lungs won’t fill to the point of caughing
A: Exercise is a must. A mix of cardio and light strength training is an absolute necessity. It will help your body regulate. Additionally I would recommend a high quality garlic supplement. Garlicin is a cheap alternative that provides very high quality Allicin (the active ingredient in garlic that helps your heart). Chemically garlic is VERY unstable so I wouldn’t recommend trying to get enough garlic by eating it. The allicin takes time to become available in garlic and if it is cooked at all any possible allicin (or at least most of it) is destroyed.
You probably have a poor family hx because you are too yound and small to be experiencing these problems. I would also recommend Cayenne in capsule form. Be prepared it may cause heart burn. Start off on the smallest dose possible. IT WORKS WONDERS FOR CHF. Again be careful because there are some people who are particularly sensitive to Cayenne and it might make you vomit if you take too much.
If you are serious about controlling or curing your CHF you have to head to your local health food store and get on the Garlic, Cayenne and probably some Enteric Coated Omega-3 and CoQ-10. It will work if you combine them with routine exercise.
Also try limiting your fluid intake.
Q: Are there any symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure to look for?
I know someone who’s legs are swollen and bruised beyond being able to explain (going on 7 days). Her DR is out of the country for 2 months and she is refusing to go to the ER. Her local pharmacist even called his personal DR for her. He suggested CHF. She has tried Lasix with no positive outcome. Have you or anyone you know ever experienced this?
A: my father has congestive heart failure. before he has surgery, we noticed that he was tired all the time. he would have shortness of breath, and his energy level had dropped a whole lot. CHF is when the heart doesnt have the strength to push and pump the blood as needed, and it basically just sits there and over time, unseen, it will back up in the lining of the heart and the lungs, causing the lining to become weak. My father has a trac now, and depends on a ventillator. you need to convence your friend to get her rear-end to a doctor soon! tell your friend, until she can get to the dr, slow down her salt intake, and her fluid intake as well. no alcohol what so ever!! Lasix will make a small difference, but not enough. she needs to be checked for diabetes, and blood clots. sounds like pour circulation.
Q: Is one of the symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure having a persistent cough?
Kind of crackly.
A: Non productive and productive coughs can be a symptom of Congestive Heart Failure.
More common symptoms are shortness of breath, edema in the legs or abdomen, inability to lie flat, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
Q: my friend is suffering from severe chest pain and shortness of breath.is this congestive heart failure symptom?
doctor has prescribed a drug named “digoxin”.he usually vomits and gets tired after that.can you tell me more about his disease?
A: Heart failure is a syndrome of ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular failure causes shortness of breath and fatigue, and right ventricular failure causes peripheral and abdominal fluid accumulation; the ventricles can be involved together or separately. Diagnosis is initially clinical, supported by chest x-ray, echocardiography, and levels of plasma natriuretic peptides. Treatment includes diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, β-blockers, aldosterone antagonists, specialized implantable pacemakers, and correction of the underlying disorder.
Digoxin is used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). It helps the heart work better and it helps control your heart rate.
Q: Is congestive heart failure a symptom or a disease itself?
What are some of the symptoms? I have breathing problems & sometimes my feet swell big. I work nights at a sit down job and I think that may be why my feet swell because when I get sleep and am moving around they dont do it.
A: chf is a condition that your heart is in and will remain in. if you have CHF, common symptoms are sob, but they generally don’t relieve them self. usually you end up in the hospital because you fill up fill fluid so much in your lungs you feel like you could drown in your own fluid. lasix is a the most common drug to relieve symptoms of chf. with your legs swelling, at a sit down job, your feet swell as a sign of poor circulation. mainly because your hips are always bent, slowing down blood flow to your feet. pressure builds up and your capillaries began to leak fluid and it accumulated in your ankles and legs, which is why when your walking around or sleeping, your hips are straight and there is no resistance. try taking some aspirin. i take aspirin when i am going to be sitting a lot on a road trip on at a desk to prevent blood clots and poor circulation. over time, constant resistance or pressure in your legs could cause a clot which can be very dangerous. good luck
Q: congestive heart failure?
okay so im 17 years old… and ive been experiencing all of the congestive heart failure symptoms, i also had heart problems as a baby, nothing serious to where i needed treatment, but im just wondering if its possible for a person my age to have this disease. and if theres anything i can do to help it. is it an untreatable diease? does it last forever
A: The place you need to start is at the doctor’s office. While it might truly be congestive heart failure, there are other possible explainations. However, it’s not something you’d play around with, trying to cure with herbal remedies. Congestive heart failure is not a disease, it’s a symptom of something seriously wrong with the heart or circulatory system. Most things can be corrected, some can’t. You are young, though, so it’s more like something could be done. It doesn’t last forever if you correct the underlying cause. I don’t know what sort of heart problems you had as a baby, other than an MVP, mitral valve prolapse. That is a leaky valve between the left atrium and ventricle, in severe cases it can cause congestive heart failure. In that event, the valve is replaced surgically, the problem is solved and you get better. But again, there is nothing you personally can do for yourself except take yourself to the doctor.
Q: What symptoms will a person have with congestive heart failure have BEFORE diagnostic tests are done?
A: shortness of breathe- swelling in the legs – extreme swelling like basketball size, pitting edema, which when you push a finger into this extreme swelling the dent from the finger stays there
Q: Can a diet high in sodium (4,000 mg/day about) mimic the symptoms of congestive heart failure?
Please, please, please, answer if you’re a doctor, med student, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner in this area of medicine. I have no health insurance and simply cannot afford $150 for a general practitioner’s visit and if anything comes of that certainly -cannot- afford a specialist. (And perhaps this is excessive information but honestly if I do have some kind of health issue that will kill me, well, I will die of it. I already have medical debt and cannot afford any more. At least that way my family will collect on my life insurance policy .) Thank you.
(Oh, btw, yeah, I know, cut the salt out. Just went looking for information and will be doing that in the morning .)
Thank you for the reply! I’m more specifically concerned that I have been having palpitations (perhaps 2 times a day tops, usually 0-1) and slight difficulty breathing even though I am quitting smoking. I have smoked for 4 years, but every time I’ve been evaluated the doctor always says my lung capacity is normal. I have a high BMI (I don’t want to post specifics on the internet 
) but I have been “dieting” (eating healthy + counting my calories – no pills or any nonsense like that) and exercising for a minimum of 1 hour a day for the last two weeks. Additionally, I’ve noticed swelling in my feet. Could all of this be explained by the elevated amount of fluid in my circulatory system retained by all of the salt? Also, I’ve been consuming this high amount of sodium for a year – would it be likely (not asking for a diagnosis, just on a general population basis) that consuming that much salt for a year could cause egregious damage to the heart?
Also, I am 22 years old – so I’m not exactly in a high-risk category because of my age.
A: Well sodium or salt makes your blood more thick by pushing water out of it. This thicker blood is harder for your heart to pump and as a result has to work harder. If after taking so much salt for so long a time ,the heart can no longer pump effectively and not enough blood is pumped this can turn into the syndrome congestive heart failure.
However, a syndrome is called a syndrome because it has multiple causes not just high salt intake.
So yes high salt can contribute to getting CHF but it depends on other factors like weight, age, activity.
Q: What signs/symptoms would help distinguise if a pt. is experiencing pneumonia v.congestive heart failure?
Rapid pulse, elevated b/p, edema, pale lips and dusky nails along w/fever. Could this be pneumonia rather than congestive heart failure?
A: Yes. But the chest xray should show clear differences in the type of congestion. Fever sounds a little more like pneumonia, but I’d go with what the doctors say. The patient IS being treated, I hope?!
Q: Do I have Congestive Heart Failure?
I’m 26 years old, Male and Chinese by race. Over the past 3 years I have felt a dull ache over the area of my left chest. I have also felt that my extremeties, fingers and feet, tend to experience pins and needles (tingling) often when I sit on the toilet bowl, or rest my arms on the arm chair. I also feel fatigue. I am also experiencing a little shortness of breath, but however this shortness of breath does not seem worst with exercise. On the contrary, when I exercise (running) and take multi vitamins, my symptoms subside and I feel more energetic and better.
I have also checked with a cardiologist 2 years ago, had an ECG test and echo cardiogram test done but the cardiologist said that I’m a fine young man with nothing wrong and the dull ache is probably a muscle ache. I would also like to mention that I have experienced 2 panic attacks from the shortness of breath.
Some background, I have been a smoker from 19 yrs old but have quit since and I had surgery done for a prolapse disc in my L4/5 spinal region. I was also diagnosed GERD. I am slightly overweight with a BMI of 25 and my job requires me sitting in front of the computer for long periods of time.
I have been researching online but it would be great if someone could help me out. Could I be suffering from Congestive Heart Failure? My symptoms seem to go away with exercise… for congestive heart failure patients, are they able to exercise at all? Or are my symptoms due to inactivity at the moment?
Hope someone can help!! Thanks
~ Andrew
A: Based on your symptoms (or lack of rather!), it’s highly unlikely you have CHF! Being overweight, even slightly, can have a big effect on the body. I think your problems are the result of sitting too long at the computer and perhaps being a tad heavier than optimal, combined with anxiety. Do you exercise at all? If not, perhaps it’s an idea that you start. Also make sure you keep hydrated.
If there is anything seriously wrong, it would likely have show up by now. However as these tests were 2 years ago, it’s worth having another ECG and blood work done.
Panic attacks can cause tingly sensations and GERD/trapped wind can explain a little chest pain. As I said, go back to your GP as ask for a few more tests, I highly doubt there is any pathology there though.
Q: Is there a chance he is experiencing congestive heart failure?
I adopted a Terrier mix, and the shelter had no information on him medically, or anything. He is 14 years old, and he is blind. Earlier today, I asked if there was a chance that he had heartworms. The more I read information concerning congestive heart failure, his symptoms seem to be exactly are described.
We have an appointment set up at the veterinarian’s office, but I want to know before I get there – if he does have heartworms or is experiencing congestive heart failure, what is the chances he won’t make it back home? Could the medication also harm him? At his age, would it be better to euthanize him, or give the medication a chance?
I’ve been trying to do research, and I find such varied information. I believe there are many intelligent people here, and so I hope you can help me, since I’ve never encountered a pet with heartworms or congestive heart failure before!
Thank you.
A: Congestive hear failure can be managed for a long time – there are meds that keep fluid from building up in the dog’s body, they work well.
If he is heartworm positive, I doubt that he would be put through a full course of treatment at his age, but then again, there are short term drugs that help a bit.
Be positive, there are such advances in vet medicine now that a dog can be helped through most issues – see what your vet says before making any decisions.
Good luck to you and your dog, but I hope you will investigate alternatives of treatment for him – may give him a few more good months, or even years. Our 2 shepherds lived to be nearly 18, in relatively good shape, even though one was blind – as long as the dog eats and seems happy, I would chose to treat.
Q: Q. i have congestive heart failure. it is worse. how will it finish me off and how can i tell when?
response to nurse on awswer:
You MAY HAVE congestive heart failure. This is how THAT works: “Heart failure occurs when your heart muscle doesn’t contract hard enough to pump as much blood as the body needs. “Failure” doesn’t mean that the heart isn’t pumping at all, just that it is failing to pump as well as it should. When the heart muscle has been damaged by long-term high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, a heart attack, or other conditions (such as injury or infection of the heart muscle), it is harder for the heart to pump blood.
Heart failure most often results when the left ventricle has been damaged. The left ventricle is the heart chamber that pumps blood out to the body. When the left ventricle is damaged (by a heart attack, for example), the weakened muscle doesn’t have the strength to pump enough blood out. Blood left behind in the heart ventricle takes up space needed for incoming blood from the lungs. Congestive heart failure occurs when blood that is attempting to flow into the left ventricle from the lungs backs up into the lungs. Over time, the whole pump mechanism begins to break down and the right ventricle weakens too. The right ventricle receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs for oxygen. When the right ventricle can’t pump well, blood backs up in the body.
The earliest and most common symptoms of heart failure are caused by fluid build-up in the lungs, abdomen, or legs.”
Source(s):
From: “Taking Charge of Your Health” supplied by “Secure Horizons” health plan organization.
A: The most common signs of congestive heart failure are swollen legs or ankles or difficulty breathing. Another symptom is weight gain when fluid builds up.
Most people with mild and moderate congestive heart failure can be treated. Proper medical supervision can prevent them from becoming invalids.
CHF usually requires a treatment program of
rest
proper diet
modified daily activities
drugs such as
ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors
beta blockers
digitalis
diuretics
vasodilators
Various drugs are used to treat congestive heart failure. They perform different functions. ACE inhibitors and vasodilators expand blood vessels and decrease resistance. This allows blood to flow more easily and makes the heart’s work easier or more efficient. Beta blockers can improve how well the heart’s left lower chamber (left ventricle) pumps. Digitalis increases the pumping action of the heart, while diuretics help the body eliminate excess salt and water.
When a specific cause of congestive heart failure is discovered, it should be treated or, if possible, corrected. For example, some cases of congestive heart failure can be treated by treating high blood pressure. If the heart failure is caused by an abnormal heart valve, the valve can be surgically replaced.
If the heart becomes so damaged that it can’t be repaired, a more drastic approach should be considered. A heart transplant could be an option.
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4585
Q: what happen in congestive heart failure early symptom?
A: when i went into congestive heart failure my left arm hurt, i was always tired, and could only go a few steps without getting winded
Q: CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE or heart diseases?
What is CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE or heart diseases? What are the symptoms ?
Do doctors do a CT scan?
A: Hi Rob,
Congestive heart failure is the result of heart failure. It is not a very good term really because it has nothing to do with cardiac arrest or the heart stopping which it’s name suggests.
Heart failure usually comes on in older people and is the inability of the heart to pump strongly enough to supply the body with the amount of blood and oxygen that it needs.
As this progresses, the lungs start to have a fluid build up and this is when it bbecomes congestive. Then a traffic jam starts to form as the fluid build up continues an eventually the feet and legs fill with fluid which is called oedema (UK) edema (US) Shortness of breath is another symptom.The symptoms are usually relieved by diuretics. (Water tablets)
You mention heart diseases but there are so many. if you have any specific ones in mind, email me and I will tell you all about it.
Hope this helps.
love Mel.X
Read and learn more about right heart failure. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: can somsone describe the difference between left heart failure and right heart failure?
in etiology, pathogenesis and symptoms. And what are the two ways in which right heart failure can occur, and what are the complications of heart failure?
A: Heart Failure is basically the heart’s inability to function as an effective and efficient pump. The etiology or pathogenesis stems from actual damage to the heart tissue. Damage can occur from myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), stenosis from any of the valves (mitral, aortic, pulmonic, tricuspid), pulmonary hypertension, or disease process such as pericarditis. Complications from heart failure includes a decreased ejection fraction, increased fatigue, general weakness, shortness of breath, dyspnea on exertion, pulmonary edema, and pitting edema to the lower extremities. I hope this helps. Feel free to email me if you have any other questions.
Q: how does left heart failure lead to right heart failure?
I would like to know the exact mechanism to it and the source. Thank you very much.
A: Right heart failure the most common causes are left ventricular failure resulting from pulmonary resistance and pulmonary hypertension hyperemia. Right heart failure occurred less alone.more see the www.bdg365.com
Q: Looking for information from anyone who has had a dog with right sided heart failure?
My dog is in the late stages of heart failure anyone been through this with their dog and what should I look for?
A: You should find very helpful informatin here> http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dogheart.html
there are several discussions of such cases..
Q: Heart failure on the left and right side is different?
Why is it that when a person has failure of the right side of the heart the primary symptom is swelling in the ankle area, but if the left side of the heart begins to experience weakness there is congestive heart failure where fluid begins to accumulate in the lungs? Why are there these different symptoms?
A: The flow of blood is: blood from body returns to right side of heart, then to lungs to pick up oxygen, then to left side of heart, then back to the body. So, in right heart failure, blood backs up into the body (primarily noticed in the legs as swelling). In left heart failure, it backs up into the lungs causing shortness of breath.
Q: how serious is right heart failure?
I have just found out that my mother has right heart failure .. She is a 49 years old non smoker … What exactly is that ?? How serious is the situation ?? How long can she live with that ??Please answer as soon as possible .. Thanks
A: What is heart failure?
The term “Heart Failure” can be scary, and is misleading. The heart does not “fail” in the sense that it suddenly stops. It doesn’t mean that you’re about to die. It means the heart is not working as efficiently as it should. Heart “failure”occurs when the heart muscle cannot keep up with the needs the body has for blood flow. It is not a disease itself, but is rather a “syndrome” (a syndrome is a collection of findings which may arise from a number of causes). Most often, it is caused by weakening of the heart muscle (“cardiomyopathy”), leaving it unable to pump enough blood. It is termed “congestive” heart failure (commonly referred to as “CHF”) because fluids typically build up in the body, which is then said to be congested.
In addition to heart failure caused from a weakened heart, there are two other major varieties of heart failure. These are CHF secondary to thick “muscle-bound” hearts (this is termed “diastolic dysfunction”), and CHF due to the body having needs which are too high for even a normal heart to keep up with. This occurs, for example in some cases of thyroid disease in which too much thyroid hormone is produced, in persons with anemia, or several other conditions.
http://www.heartpoint.com/congheartfailuretellme.html
Q: Is there no cure for a Right Heart Failure diagnosed from an Enlargement of the Heart Disease?
A: Most of the time only the heart failure itself is treated with diuretics and or beta blockers or even lanoxin or other drugs to help pumping function of the heart. Once the damage is done, there is no cure, only treatment and prevention to prevent active heart failure unless you are a candidate for heart transplant, in which case all factors causing the heart failure would have to be treated individually if they are treatable prior to transplant. Avoid sodium, restrict fluids to less than a liter a day if possible, keep blood pressure under control. Walk daily for 20 minutes if ok with doctor to strengthen heart muscle.See a doctor you are satisfied with who treats you like a person and not another case. Get an echo if not already done to determine ejection fraction and other hemodynamics.
Q: can you get right sided heart failure with portal hypertension?
I am confused abut the whole portal hypertension thing. Is portal hypertension a problem with blood going in or out?
A: RV failure: In failure due to right ventricular dysfunction, systemic venous pressure increases, causing fluid extravasation and consequent edema, primarily in dependent tissues (feet and ankles of ambulatory patients) and abdominal viscera. The liver is affected most, but stomach and intestines also become congested; fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity (ascites) can occur. RV failure commonly causes moderate hepatic dysfunction, with usually modest increases in conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin, PT, and hepatic enzymes (eg, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT). The impaired liver breaks down less aldosterone, further contributing to fluid accumulation. Chronic venous congestion in the viscera can cause anorexia, malabsorption and protein-losing enteropathy (characterized by diarrhea and marked hypoalbuminemia), chronic GI blood loss, and rarely ischemic bowel infarction.
Portal hypertension is caused most often by cirrhosis (in developed countries), schistosomiasis (in endemic areas), or hepatic vascular abnormalities. Consequences include esophageal varices and portal-systemic encephalopathy. Diagnosis is based on clinical criteria, often in conjunction with imaging studies and endoscopy. Treatment involves prevention of GI bleeding with endoscopy, drugs, or both, and sometimes with portocaval shunting.
Q: Why does left and/or right heart failure lead to edema in the ankles?
A: When the right side of the heart does not pump blood effectively enough forward through the heart it will back up into the circulation causing edema in the ankles.
Q: what is the difference between cor pulmonale and right-sided heart failure?
i’m taking my human anatomy class and we were asked to research on the difference between the two. but all i can find is that both are the same..please help!
A: dear
corpulmonale its heart failure primarily due to chronic obstructive lung disease ,in which by time the right side of the heart will be dilated and features of fluid over load raised jvp ascites liver enlargement ..ACT…………. etc will apeare
but right sided heart failure alone its arare condition usually the eitiologic facters may tricusped valve disease specialy in drug abusers or valve damage due to other cuases but features will be the as corpulmonale apert from those related to respiratory disease
Q: What are the symptoms of right sided heart failure?
A: The most common manifestation of right sided heart failure is peripheral oedema, generally in the feet.
This happens because the right ventricle is damaged and is unable to adequately pump blood into the pulmonary system, blood backs up through the right atria and begins to pool in the limbs.
Q: Are there different symptoms for left and right heart failure if so what is the prognosis/survival rate?
A: Yes, heart failure can be either left or right or a combination of the two. Cardiac failure is decreased cardiac output due to the heart not pumping blood sufficiently around the body. This can be due to various causes.
Left heart failure is generally cause by hypertension, aortic valve disease and coronary artery disease. Depending on the severity, with left ventricular failure fluid will build up in the lungs due to congestion of the veins in the lungs. Due to the increased venous pressure, symptoms include dyspnoea (in acute pulmonary oedema people are generally anxious, pale and sweating), a dry cough, shortness of breath and weakness.
Right heart failure is usually due to chronic lung disease, pulmonary valve disease and congenital defects. Right ventricular failure symptoms are increased venous pressure which results in oedema in the body- particularly in the legs and other organs. Fluid can also accumulate in the abdominal cavity.
Failure on both sides often leads to bivenricular failure (congestive cardiac failure)
Heart failure can be caused by many different factors, prognosis and survival rates depend of the age of the patient, overall health and underlying cause. As I have said to you before, heart failure is not a diagnosis itself, it’s a ’state’ that people can move in and out of.
Q: Anorexia Recovery: development of edema and right-heart failure?
Does the development of sudden edema and water retention -literally overnight- during refeeding mean that you’ve developed right-heart failure or that you’re at the risk of developing it? I’m anorexic, five feet tall and 75 (maybe less) pounds down from 121 pounds three months ago… The doctor doesn’t understand or care, so don’t tell me to seek medical advice, though all other tests turned ok (liver, kidneys, thirode, whatever), but he just wouldn’t do an ECG. I was trying to recover by myself and overate, and I’m thinking my heart couldn’t stand it. Answers, please? Oh, and how accurate is a DEXA (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) test?
Thanks, Kat T for being so understanding. I’m not from the US, though. I’m from (and living) in a third world, eating disorders aren’t understood. I myself didn’t recognize that I was sufferring from disordered eating until I went on the internet and researched my symptoms. I have no hotlines to call and the doctors don’t understand, his advice was to basically wait it out, and he didn’t even give me vitamins or supplements. It’s all very stressful and I wish I hadn’t gone down this path… But thank you for your kind words.
A: First of all I want to congratulate you for overcoming anorexia. I am amazed that you are able to do what you are doing while being treated by a doctor who seems so apathetic.
I do not feel that you are experiencing right-heart failure (but I am certainly no expert). Developing edema and retaining fluids during refeeding is very common, but I have to say I would feel much better if you were in a hospital being refed and monitored closely. If your doctor doesn’t see it that way, maybe you need to find another doctor (if possible). If you feel you cannot find another doctor… continue refeeding, but be careful. I have read the swelling and discomfort goes away slowly.
I would strongly suggest you call a hotline with experts on the subject. I am no expert, and you are working so hard to become healthy, I do not want anything to set you back. This number is a toll free number for EDAP; they can answer your questions and maybe guide you to a better source. 1-800-931-2237. I have added a link with several other numbers so that you can choose what you feel the most comfortable with.
DEXA tests are accurate. You can make your bones stronger by doing weight bearing exercises if you are concerned about your bone density. If you have signs of osteoporosis, be sure to mention that to the person you end up talking with (if you do end up calling, which I hope you do).
Best of luck to you, you are an awe inspiring person! Don’t let your doctor get you down. Find others to talk to who are more understanding. My thoughts are with you.
*** I am so sorry, I didn’t even think about the fact that you might not be able to use the numbers. I have looked around to find a website with a medically trained staff that might answer your question quickly. I found the website I added below… it has many good links, hopefully you can find one that will answer your question rapidly and better than the untrained people here on yahoo questions. Send an email to several of the websites and see what responses you get. Hopefully you can get quick answers. I wish I could help more. Bless you for being so strong and fighting this.
Q: Heart failure or heart attack, it hurts right? Like if ur having one it cant be mistaken?
Heart failure or heart attack, it hurts right? Like if ur having one it cant be mistaken?
A: Heart failure is the heart’s inability to pump blood efficiently to the lungs and to the rest of the body. A heart attack is blockage of blood to the heart, which does cause pain in either the left arm, jaw and chest, some have stated the pain is like an elephant standing on their chest. A heart attack causes scar tissue to form, where heart muscles have died during the attack.
Q: How to tell if it’s Right sided heart failure or Left sided heart failure?
A: If u have studyd even a bit of biology, this should be easy. Your Left side of the heart send blood to ur body while ur right side receives blood to ur body and sends it to the lungs then back to the left lung.
So, If u have left sided heart failure, ur heart wont be able to send blood to ur body, hence u will feel weak, the blood will be flowing backward to ur lungs congesting them therefore the symptoms will mostly be respiratory, eg. shortness of breath,on exertion (dyspnée d’effort) and in severe cases, dyspnea at rest. Increasing breathlessness on lying flat, called orthopnea, occurs. It is often measured in the number of pillows required to lie comfortably, and in severe cases, the patient may resort to sleeping while sitting up. Another symptom of heart failure is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea also known as “cardiac asthma”, a sudden nighttime attack of severe breathlessness, usually several hours after going to sleep.
IF u have right sided heart failure (which is usually due to left sided heart failure) it leads to congestion of systemic capillaries since the heart can not pump blood back to the lungs. This helps to generate excess fluid accumulation in the body. This causes swelling under the skin (termed peripheral edema or anasarca) and usually affects the dependent parts of the body first (causing foot and ankle swelling in people who are standing up, and sacral edema in people who are predominantly lying down). Nocturia (frequent nighttime urination) may occur when fluid from the legs is returned to the bloodstream while lying down at night. In progressively severe cases, ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity causing swelling) and hepatomegaly (painful enlargement of the liver) may develop. Significant liver congestion may result in impaired liver function, and jaundice and even coagulopathy (problems of decreased blood clotting) may occur.
Q: What are the causes of right sided heart failure………?
A: Congestive heart failure
Ischemic heart disease
Hypertension (with left ventricular hypertrophy)
Valvular disease (primarily MR, AS, AR)
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Congenital heart disorders (e.g., ASD, VSD, PDA, coarctation of the aorta, Ebstein’s anomaly, tetralogy of Fallot)
Idiopathic cardiomyopathy
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
Lung disease (leading to right-sided enlargement)
–Pulmonary embolus
–COPD
–Cor pulmonale
–Primary pulmonary hypertension
Subacute bacterial endocarditis
Myocarditis
Renal failure (risk of pericardial effusion)
Anemia
Scleroderma
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Sickle cell disease
Marfan’s syndrome
Pregnancy
Drugs (numerous drugs are cardiotoxic)
Postradiation
Normal, “athletic” heart
Mediastinal mass
Kyphoscoliosis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Less common etiologies include infiltrative diseases (e.g., amyloidosis, hemochromatosis, atrial myxoma, endocardial fibroelastosis, Fabry’s disease, Hurler’s syndrome, Pompe’s disease), epicardial fat pad, carcinoid, acromegaly, hyper- or hypoparathyroidism, and severe cases of hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, and/or hypophosphatemia
Read and learn more about heart failure treatment. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: Should congestive heart failure treatment/medication stop the heavy breathing?
My mother-in-law is 84 and has congestive heart failure. She is being treated by a cardiologist and takes medicine. She saw the cardiologist two weeks ago and he said her heart was a bit stronger than at the last check up. He did not change her meds. However, she has days/moments when her breathing is very labored. Her internist said it was normal to have such bouts. Should I be concerned?
A: the good news the doctor says the heart is stronger there will be changes in medications from time to time I wouldn’t be alarmed
Q: What are the last novelties with respect to congestive heart failure treatment ?
A: Coreg is the newest and best to my knowledge. Spironolactone and diovan have been around for a long time, the three together have done wonders for my ticker!!!
Q: If someone is diognosed with heart failure will they eventually die from it even if on treatment?
Does treatment stop heart failure or does it just slow the progression of heart failure prolonging a person life but will cause death eventually if something else doesn’t cause death first???
Also what is the likely hood of a person having heart failure if ekg was normal, blood pressure is normal and the person doesn’t have hypertension, etc.
A: Heart failure is a serious disorder. It is usually a chronic illness, which may get worse with infection or other physical stress.
Many forms of heart failure can be controlled with medication, lifestyle changes, and treatment of any underlying disorder.
Possible Complications:-
* Irregular heart rhythms (can be deadly)
* Pulmonary edema
* Total heart failure (circulatory collapse)
Despite recent advances in the management of patients with heart failure, morbidity and mortality rates remain high, with an estimated 5-year mortality rate of 50%.
Q: What are the symptoms and treatment for chronic heart failure?
I have already had quintuplet by pass surgery in 2003 and then had 5 stents placed in my heart in 2005. Recently I have had severe edema in my legs and my ankles and feet. I went to a few vascular surgeons and they said it was not any clots or blockages to my veins or a. They said my problems were most likely chronic heart failure. I am now on Lasix and weigh myself every day,but still feel bad. Any suggestions?
A: If you are now on Lasix that will help you remove the excess fluids that is in your legs and ankles. One thing you have to do is to limit your fluid intake. Since you have chronic heart failure, your heart cannot tolerate too much fluid in the body. This will make you more ill. Excess fluid intake can also accumulate not only on your legs and ankles but also in the lungs which will make you breathless. Try to ascertain or ask your cardiologist how much fluid intake you are allowed per day.
Q: What are the treatment options for Congestive Heart failure?
My father, who is 73 years old, has been diagonised with CHF, old anteroseptal MI, with severe LV dysfunction. The LV ejection fraction is found to be only 30%. He is also a diabetic for the past 13 years.
I would like to know whether there are any surgical options like pin-hole surgery etc to improve the heart’s pumping efficiency (or) Is it sufficient to take medicines with controlled diet and activities?
A: Dear Asker!
Here are some treatment guidelines for Congestive Heart Failure.
How Is Congestive Heart Failure Treated?
Today there are more options available to treat heart failure than ever before. Regular medications and lifestyle coupled with careful monitoring is the first line of treatment. As the condition progresses, centers specializing in the treatment of heart failure can offer more advanced treatment options, such as surgery.
What Medications Are Used to Treat Congestive Heart Failure?
Taking your heart failure medications as prescribed is one of the most important things you can do to manage your heart failure. The more you know about your medications and how they work, the easier it will be for you to stay on track.
Common types of medications used to treat congestive heart failure include:
Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
Beta-blockers
Digoxin
Diuretics
Blood vessel dilators
Potassium or magnesium
Aldactone Inhibitors
Calcium channel blockers
Heart pump medications
In your father’s case, we should add medications for diabetes, blood lipids lowering agents, blood thinner to prevent further MI.
What Surgical Procedures Are Used to Treat Heart Failure?
Surgery is aimed at stopping further damage to the heart and improving the heart’s function. Procedures used include:
Angioplasty, also know as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), is a procedure in which a catheter-guided balloon is used to open a narrowed coronary artery. A stent (a wire-mesh tube that expands to hold the artery open) is usually placed at the narrowed section during angioplasty.
CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft) Bypass surgery: The most common surgery for heart failure is bypass surgery to route blood around a blocked coronary artery.
Left ventricular assist device(LVAD): The LVAD helps your heart pump blood throughout your body. It allows you to be mobile, sometimes returning home to await a heart transplant.
Heart valve surgery: As heart failure progresses, the heart valves that normally help direct the flow of blood through the heart to the rest of the body stretch out of shape, allowing blood to “leak” backward. The valves can be repaired or replaced.
Infarct exclusion surgery (Modified Dor or Dor Procedure): When a heart attack occurs in the left ventricle (left lower pumping chamber of the heart), a scar forms. The scarred area is thin and can bulge out with each beat (an aneurysm). A heart surgeon can remove the infarcted (dead) area of heart tissue or the aneurysm.
Heart transplant: A heart transplant is considered when heart failure is so severe that it does not respond to all other therapies, but the person’s health is otherwise good.
Hope that may help you and your loved ones!
Good luck!
Q: why are beta blockers considered standard treatment for heart failure?
I thought beta blockers, esp. beta1 blockers, decrease myocardial contractility which can lead to heart failure.
A: In diastolic dysfunction (impaired relaxation) it slows the heart rate, increasing filling time ultimately resulting in increased cardiac output.
In systolic dysfunction (impaired contraction) it is thought to work on decreasing the sustained sympathetic stimulation seen with left ventricular dysfunction which can cause the b receptors to down regulate. It also decreases the risk of fatal arrythmia associated with sympathetic surges. It decreases myocardial oxygen demand. There is some decrease in contractility initially, however doses are usually titrated gradually and tolerated. After months of treatment contractility can actually improve due to the reasons described above.
Additionally, people are usually not started when in florid heart failure.
Q: what is the status of digoxin now in treatment of heart failure?
is digoxin the drug number one in human usage of drugs?
A: The main pharmacological effects of digoxin are on the heart. Extracardiac effects are responsible for many of the adverse effects which are below
Its main cardiac effects are
* A decrease of conduction of electrical impulses through the AV node, making it a commonly used drug in controlling the heart rate during atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.
* An increase of force of contraction via inhibition of the Na+/K+ ATPase pump
Mechanism of action Digoxin binds to a site on the extracellular aspect of the α-subunit of the Na+/K+ ATPase pump in the membranes of heart cells (myocytes). This causes an increase in the level of sodium ions in the myocytes, which then leads to a rise in the level of calcium ions. The proposed mechanism is the following: inhibition of the Na+/K+ pump leads to increased Na+ levels, which in turn slows down the extrusion of Ca2+ via the Na+/Ca2+ exchange pump. Increased amounts of Ca2+ are then stored in the sarcoplasmic reticulum and released by each action potential, which is unchanged by digoxin. This is a different mechanism from that of catecholamines. Digoxin also increases vagal activity via its central action on the central nervous system, thus decreasing the conduction of electrical impulses through the AV node. This is important for its clinical use in different arrhythmias. Today, the most common indications for digoxin are probably atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter with rapid ventricular response. High ventricular rate leads to insufficient diastolic filling time. By slowing down the conduction in the AV node and increasing its refractory period, digoxin can reduce the ventricular rate. The arrhythmia itself is not affected, but the pumping function of the heart improves owing to improved filling. The use of digoxin in congestive heart failure during sinus rhythm is controversial. In theory the increased force of contraction should lead to improved pumping function of the heart, but its effect on prognosis is disputable and digoxin is no longer the first choice for congestive heart failure. However, it can still be useful in patients who remain symptomatic despite proper diuretic and ACE inhibitor treatment. Digoxin is usually given by mouth, but can also be given by IV injection in urgent situations (the IV injection should be slow, heart rhythm should be monitored). The half life is about 36 hours, digoxin is given once daily, usually in 125 μg or 250 μg dosing. In patients with decreased kidney function the half life is considerably longer, calling for a reduction in dosing or a switch to a different glycoside (such as digitoxin which although having a much longer elimination half-life of around 7 days, is mainly eliminated from the body via the liver, and thus not affected by changes in renal function). Effective plasma levels are fairly well defined, 1-2.6 nmol/l. In suspected toxicity or ineffectiveness, digoxin levels should be monitored. Plasma potassium levels also need to be closely controlled. The occurrence of adverse drug reactions is common, owing to its narrow therapeutic index (the margin between effectiveness and toxicity). Adverse effects are concentration-dependent, and are rare when plasma digoxin concentration is <0.8 μg/L. They are also more common in patients with low potassium levels (hypokalemia), since digoxin normally competes with K+ ions for the same binding site on the Na+/K+ ATPase pump. Common adverse effects (≥1% of patients) include: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, blurred vision, visual disturbances (yellow-green halos), confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nightmares, agitation, and/or depression. Less frequent adverse effects (0.1%–1%) include: acute psychosis, delirium, amnesia, shortened QRS complex, atrial or ventricular extrasystoles, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia with AV block, ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, heart block but when sytematically sought, the evidence for this is equivocal. The pharmacological actions of digoxin usually results in electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, including ST depression or T wave inversion, which do not indicate toxicity. PR interval prolongation, however, may be a sign of digoxin toxicity. Additionally, increased intracellular Ca2+ may cause a type of arrhythmia called bigeminy (coupled beats), eventually ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. The combination of increased (atrial) arrhythmogenesis and inhibited atrio-ventricular conduction (for example paroxysmal atrial tachycardia with A-V block - so-called "PAT with block") is said to be pathognomonic (i.e. diagnostic) of digoxin toxicity. An often described but rarely seen adverse effect of digoxin is a disturbance of colour vision (mostly yellow and green colour) called xanthopsia. Digoxin has an interaction with the antimalarial medication Hydroxychloroquine. Other informationDigoxin has potentially dangerous interaction with verapamil, amiodarone and erythromycin. In overdose, the usual supportive measures are needed. If arrhythmias prove troublesome, or malignant hyperkalaemia occurs (inexorably rising potassium level due to paralysis of the cell membrane bound ATPase-dependant Na/K pumps), the specific antidote is antidigoxin (antibody fragments against digoxin, trade name Digibind®). Digoxin is not usefully removed by hemodialysis.Some physical properties of digoxin are water solubility of 64.8 mg/L at 25 °C and melting point at 249.3 °C.
Q: 74 yr.old heart failure. causes & treatment ?
74 year old grandfather of my family friend is in heart failure.can anybody let me know what are likely causes of this failure?
A: Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood throughout the body. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop working. It means that your heart is not able to pump blood the way it should.
The weakening of the heart’s pumping ability causes
* Blood and fluid to back up into the lungs
* The buildup of fluid in the feet, ankles and legs – called edema
* Tiredness and shortness of breath
The leading causes of heart failure are coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Heart failure is a chronic disease needing lifelong management. However, with treatment, signs and symptoms of heart failure can improve and the heart sometimes becomes stronger.
Medications
Doctors usually treat heart failure with a combination of medications:
# Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). These drugs, which include losartan (Cozaar) and valsartan (Diovan), have many of the same benefits as ACE inhibitors.
# Digoxin (Lanoxin). This drug, also referred to as digitalis, increases the strength of your heart muscle contractions. It also tends to slow the heartbeat. Digoxin reduces heart failure symptoms and improves your ability to live with the condition.
# Beta blockers. This class of drugs slows your heart rate and reduces blood pressure. Examples include carvedilol (Coreg), metoprolol (Lopressor) and bisoprolol (Zebeta).
# Diuretics. Often called water pills, diuretics make you urinate more frequently and keep fluid from collecting in your body. Commonly prescribed diuretics for heart failure include bumetanide (Bumex) and furosemide (Lasix).
# Aldosterone antagonists. These drugs include spironolactone (Aldactone) and eplerenone (Inspra).
Surgery and medical devices
In some cases, doctors recommend surgery to treat the underlying problem that led to heart failure.
Q: What’s the difference between heart disease & heart failure in dogs?
My Cavalier has heart disease (I think it is MVD). She has been on tablets for several months for it. On the packet it says that they are for the treatment of heart failure in dogs. I used to think that heart failure was when the heart just stopped working and the dog died, but that is obviously not the case. What does heart failure actually mean? Thanks xx
A: http://www.cavalierhealth.org/mitral_valve_disease.htm
This has lots of info.
Heart disease in cavaliers means the mitral valve(and occasionally the tricuspid valve)is diseased and leaking.Heart failure means the disease has progressed till the heart doesn’t pump efficiently and the fluid builds up in the lungs,also known as chf.
The most common drugs for mvd are ace inhibitors.enalapril and benazapril,with lasix added when failure occurs and pimobendan added as they hit later stages of the disease.
Try and find a vet experienced in heart disease.
Q: What the treatment for heart failure?
A: medications maybe a pacemaker start a diet no salt
Q: What is the history (storey) of treatment with Digoxin (Digitalis) in heart failure cases.?
A: Digoxin decreases the workload on the heart. Meaning, this drug will slow the heart down and by doing so, when the heart contracts to push blood out, it will do so stronger and more efficiently.
Q: causes, treatment and cure for congestive heart failure?
A: Causes: Many times caused by years of high blood pressure. Also coronary artery disease.
Treatment: Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, carvedilol or coreg, beta blockers, digitalis, hydralazine, etc.
Cure: Not one yet. Actually, a heart transplant would probably do it.
Q: at what stage should spironolactone be used in the treatment of chronic heart failure?the same for digoxine.?
A: Spironolactone is recommended for Stage III and Stage IV congestive heart failure, according to the NY Heart Association functional classification. Stage III heart failure is defined as marked limitation of ordinary physical activity (such as walking 1 block/1 flight of stairs, showering, dressing). Stage IV heart failure is defined as the inability to perform any physical activity without discomfort (shortness of breath, chest pain).
Digoxin is recommended for patients with systolic failure (an ejection fraction of <40% seen on ECHO) who continue to have symptoms (shortness of breath, chest pain) despite treatment with an ACE inhibitor, beta blocker, and diuretic.
Q: What are the effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatments on congestive heart failure?
A: Hyperbaric oxygen treatment decreases heart rate, decreases cardiac output (the amount of blood it pumps), and can possibly increase blood pressure.
It is said that hyperbaric oxygen treatments should not be used in people with congestive heart failure, because it worsens it. Please look at the links under “Sources” for more info.
Q: does anyone know a good way to help a dog with congestive heart failure?
ive had my dog with the vet over the years and what theyve prescribed has only made him worse. he has heartworms.i tried a natural treatment which worked wonders, but he is older and suffering with heart failure. he loves to walk but the vets say dont walk him. they say to get him to lose weight hes on a diet but how can he lose the weight just lying around with no excersise. if anyone has experienced this and has any advice let me know. thanks
A: before my husband and I met his husky/chow mix Loco got heartworms. $800.00 later he healthy (and fat as all get but happy). Im really not sure what all the treatments were but it will get expensive. If your dog is an outside dog; twice a month you need to remove your dog from the backyard for a day and spray for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are what causes heartworms. Make sure you keep a 3-in-1 collar on him all the time, for fleas, ticks and mosquitoes, or your vet can vaccinate him for them. Even tho he already has the heartworms your vet should give you a heartworm pill once a moth anyway. If he/she hasnt then you need to find a new vet. The treatment shouldnt have been only a one time deal and your vet said sorry. Im not sure why they said to not walk him. As long as you have the collar on (wait a week before you walk after putting the collar on or have gone to the vet for the vaccination to make sure its in your dogs system) it should be ok to get him some excercise as long as you are in your own neighborhood and not some place strange and you dont know. Science Diet dog food is a lil exopensive but works well for maintaining weight. I hope all works out for you and Im sorry your dog is sick. That sucks!
Read and learn more about chronic heart failure. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: What is the difference between Chronic and Congestive Heart Failure?
I see CHF used as an acronym all the time, for both chronic heart failure and congestive heart failure. Is there a difference between these two? Is one term more correct than the other?
A: chronic means bad ,worst chf is chronic to so they are both chronics
Q: What are the symptoms and treatment for chronic heart failure?
I have already had quintuplet by pass surgery in 2003 and then had 5 stents placed in my heart in 2005. Recently I have had severe edema in my legs and my ankles and feet. I went to a few vascular surgeons and they said it was not any clots or blockages to my veins or a. They said my problems were most likely chronic heart failure. I am now on Lasix and weigh myself every day,but still feel bad. Any suggestions?
A: If you are now on Lasix that will help you remove the excess fluids that is in your legs and ankles. One thing you have to do is to limit your fluid intake. Since you have chronic heart failure, your heart cannot tolerate too much fluid in the body. This will make you more ill. Excess fluid intake can also accumulate not only on your legs and ankles but also in the lungs which will make you breathless. Try to ascertain or ask your cardiologist how much fluid intake you are allowed per day.
Q: what is the difference between congestive heart failure and chronic heart failure?
can anyone tell me the difference btwn between congestive heart failure and chronic heart failure ?
thanks
A: I SUFFER FROM CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE: IT HAS TO DO WITH A BAD VALVE IN MY HEART THAT WILL NOT PULL OUT ALL OF THE FLUIDS….IT IS A MANAGEABLE CONDITION, BUT HERE ARE THE EXPLANATIONS…
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart’s function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body’s needs.
Many disease processes can impair the pumping efficiency of the heart to cause congestive heart failure.
The symptoms of congestive heart failure vary, but can include fatigue, diminished exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and swelling.
The diagnosis of congestive heart failure is based on knowledge of the patient’s medical history, a careful physical examination, and selected laboratory tests.
The treatment of congestive heart failure can include lifestyle modifications, addressing potentially reversible factors, medications, heart transplant, and mechanical therapies.
The course of congestive heart failure in any given patient is extremely variable.
CHRONIC HEART FAILURE
Heart failure (HF) is generally defined as inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body’s needs.[1][2][3] It has various diagnostic criteria, and the term heart failure is often incorrectly used to describe other cardiac-related illnesses, such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) or cardiac arrest.
Common causes of heart failure include myocardial infarction (heart attacks) and other forms of ischemic heart disease, hypertension, valvular heart disease and cardiomyopathy.[4] Heart failure can cause a large variety of symptoms such as shortness of breath (typically worse when lying flat, which is called orthopnea), coughing, ankle swelling and exercise intolerance. Heart failure is often undiagnosed due to a lack of a universally agreed definition and challenges in definitive diagnosis. Treatment commonly consists of lifestyle measures (such as decreased salt intake) and medications, and sometimes devices or even surgery.
Heart failure is a common, costly, disabling and potentially deadly condition.[4] In developing countries, around 2% of adults suffer from heart failure, but in those over the age of 65, this increases to 6–10%.[4][5] Mostly due to costs of hospitalization, it is associated with a high health expenditure; costs have been estimated to amount to 2% of the total budget of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, and more than $35 billion in the United States.[6][7] Heart failure is associated with significantly reduced physical and mental health, resulting in a markedly decreased quality of life.[8][9] With the exception of heart failure caused by reversible conditions, the condition usually worsens with time. Although some patients survive many years, progressive disease is associated with an overall annual mortality rate of 10%.[10]
Q: Is there a difference between Congestive Heart Failure and Chronic Heart Failure?
I have no clue.
A: Congestive heart failure is any condition causing the heart to be an ineffective pump. Chronic simply implies that it is a recurring problem. Heart failure can be caused by many things associated with the heart. Rhythm problems (too fast, too slow, or irregular), Heart muscle function (being too weak, being too thick, thereby affecting the pump itself) and heart disease, which over time can affect heart function as well. The goal is to try to correct the problem causing the heart failure….fix the rhythm abnormality, ensure blood pressure is controlled (which can affect muscle thickness in the heart and/or weaken the heart muscle), or ensure the heart is getting adequate blood flow in the setting of cardiovascular disease. Hope this helps!
Q: How serious is Chronic heart failure, with high blood preasure.?
A: I have experienced two congestive heart failures.
The second one almost cost me my life; I was in ICU for 2 days until I came around.
Unfortunately, it caused damage to my heart’s left ventricle, and wasn’t pumping blood at the rate it was normally doing.
This is called hypertophic cardiomyopathy, the condition I have.
Please, by all means; take your blood pressure pills if you have high blood pressure.
My condition was caused by a number of things, primarily a flu virus the docs said, and I did have the flu at the time of both incidents.
Being sick can raise your blood pressure.
Speaking from personal experience, it is very serious, and has caused me several problems, including the inability to work the jobs I had, cannot lift weights any longer, nor run or jog.
I get out of breath climbing even the smallest stairs, sometimes just from walking for awhile, and often get very fatigued for no reason, because my heart is still weak.
My condition has improved, but the damage has been done, and my own life expectancy isn’t all that great.
Please take care of yourself and God Bless.
Q: Is Congestive heart failure the same with chronic heart failure?
A: Congestive heart failure is a condition where the pumping efficiency of the heart is decreased and the supply of blood to the body is reduced. The reduced efficiency of the heart causes blood to back up in the circulatory system, leading to “congestion” in the tissues. This congestion is often manifested as swelling in the legs and ankles. It can also cause fluid to accumulate in the lungs, leading to breathing problems.
Chronic heart failure is a long term situation, usually with stable treated situation.Chronic stable heart failure may easily decompensate and lead to recurrent congeative heart failure. The difference to do with the period of illness. otherwise the two terms are interchangeable.
Q: my dog has chronic heart failure and is on meds but ive noticed today that her gums are very pale what do i do
is this a normal or has she just got worse?
A: It’s a dog. Make it comfortable and when it gets worse, have it destroyed.
Q: - what are the medical management for Chronic Heart Failure?
- thanks for the answer… how about the medical management for congestive heart failure
A: I’m not sure what you mean by “medical management” for heart failure but here is the standard treatment.
1) Determine the cause and/or precipitation factors and treat the underlying condition. Underlying disorders include anemia, hyperthyroidism, valvular disease, coronary disease or drugs that aggravate heart failure. An example of treating the underlying disorder would be valve replacement or repair in a patient with valvular disease.
2) Restriction of physical activity in unstable patients is recommended. However, once the patient is stabilized and excess fluid is removed low-intensity exercise can increase exercise tolerance and functional capacity. A patient should talk to their doctor before starting an exercise program.
3) Heart failure is treated with many medications. Which ones and how many depends on the degree of heart failure determined by the ejection fraction and patient’s symptoms. They include ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, digoxin, diuretics, spironolactone, nitrates, hydralazine, etc.
If this does not answer your question, please post a more specific question.
Q: is congestive heart failure the same as chronic heart failure?
are they the same and mean one thing?
A: Essentially yes they are the same thing. They both involve impaired cardiac pumping and fluid volume overload. The causes for each differ, hence the two different names but the result is the same.
Q: what is a nursing Dx for a patient with Chronic left sided heart failure?
could I write ” Decreased cardiac output related to left ventricular failure”?
Can I put the actual medical diagnosis in my nursing diagnosis? Decreased cardiac output related to Chronic left sided heart failure?
A: Decreased cardiac output is a definite nursing dx for this person. Activity intolerance is another probable one. Fluid volume excess is another one that is probable for this person. Altered cardiopulmonary tissue perfusion is another good one.
Q: How would you define a condition of “stable heart failure”?
Doesnt ’stable’ connotate a feeling of security? How does it differ from Chronic Heart Failure?
A: Heart failure covers a lot of ground. Mild heart failure may just cause some ankle swelling or shortness of breath – severe heart failure would suggest someone who is confined to bed, requiring oxygen etc. Stable just means it isn’t getting better or worse.
Q: can chronic heart failure or heart mitral valve prolapse be reversed?
Hi Slider21-what book? I only see an article from Mayo clinic
A: There are a few who say yes (and buy this diet book to do it), but most of the literature points to preventing or significantly improving the signs and symptoms of chronic heart failure. What needs to be determined is the cause of the chf. Chf can be treated with diuretics, beta blockers, low salt diet, exercise, amongst other things. Mitral valve prolapse does not usually interfere with your everyday life and often does not need need treatment, though if it is necessary, it can be treated as well. Remember, you need to be in touch with your primary care doctor and a cardiac doctor as well.
Edit: What I meant was there are some diets out there. Check with your doctor. The book I referred to is Dr. Dean’s Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease. You should ask your physician about it. See whether he approves. It’s basically just a certain diet, exercise, quit smoking if you do, type book that might help lower cholesterol levels. However, because chf is so serious, what is a good diet for one patient might not be a good diet for another. It depends on your hdl and ldl readings and the cause of your chf. It is by no means something I would suggest doing without your doctor’s approval despite the impressive list of supporters.
Sources: http://edition.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00061.html
and MSN health on the web
Q: CHRONIC DIASTOLIC HEART FAILURE?
CHRONIC DIASTOLIC HEART FAILURE HELP PLEASE
what can i take to energizers i am so lazy it take all i have to cook and any thing i need so boost and energy i need you all help. my heart doctor is out of town until the end of may. WILL YOU ALL LET ME NO SOME THING.
A: If you feel like your heart failure is worsening you should see a doctor ASAP. Go to the ER. Don’t try to take anything to pep you up, it can make your problem worse.
Also you should weigh yourself at the same time every day and report a weight gain of 2-3 pounds within 1-2 days to your doctor.
Q: chronic heart failure?
why is alchol not allowes with this heart condition?
A: in chronic heart failure the heart’s ability to contract is much impaired
if a subject drinks, the liver might undergo irrepairable damage, and ultimately leads to extra fluid retention in the body
since the cardiac fibers are alrdy impaired, increasing the venous return would even further injure the heart, producing a worsening of the state in the subject
for more info on chronic heart failure, pelase go to the blog:
http://medicalresourcesforfree.blogspot.com/search/label/heart%20failure
it has all the useful info on the matter and its related subjects
Q: i need definitions for these two things….chronic heart failure and acute heart failure?
A: chronic is more like heart failure that’s maintained by medicine and fluid and sodium restriction.
Acute can occur suddenly, usually from a specific reason like a heart attack. They both do the same thing, cause trouble breathing from a poor pump(heart)
Read and learn more about symptoms of heart failure. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: What are some symptoms of heart failure in women? Is excessive sweating a symptom?
I am 46 year old female with heart failure and take coreg and lisinipril. Lately I’ve noticed tremendous waves of hot flashes and excessive sweating and heat.
A: Stop looking online to match your symptoms and see a doctor. They will help you out if it is. If it isn’t, online will only make you stress more and stress is never good.
Q: I have concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, and symptoms of heart failure, is it possible to have COPD too
also have chronic hypertension, should I take Advair?
I know this is two questions.
A: Yes, you can have COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) too! Ask your doctor if Advair is right for your condition.
Concentric LVH is probably a result of the chronic hypertension. It means that the wall of your left ventricle is thickened or enlarged. Hypertension that isn’t well controlled makes your heart work harder to pump the blood out to your body, thereby making your heart muscle thicker or hypertrophic. Keep a close eye on your blood pressure so you can prevent this from worsening! That’s one muscle that you don’t want growing too much!
Hope this helps.
Q: What are the symptoms of heart failure?
A: fluid build up, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, chest pain
Q: Is a rapid heart rate one of the symptoms of congestive heart failure?
I have a friend who has been diagnosed with acute congestive heart failure. He does not qualify for a heart transplant for several reasons. I remember reading somewhere that towards the end, the heart rate will increase to compensate for the heart damage. Is this a symptom that he may die soon?
A: Arrhythmias occur in congestive heart failure. And a rapid heartbeat does not necessarily mean he’s going to die soon; chf patients experience episodes of arrhythmia.
My brother died of chf, and his heart was beating normally.
Q: Please.Im scared I might have symptoms of heart failure?
I have been to two doctors and a nurse friend says that they think that im depressed but have no issues with my heart.One was a vascular specialist..I do however hear my heart beat clearly in my ears.,a benign condition so they say ..{I looked up heart failure and really don’t seem to have any symptoms of heart failure other than perhaps hearing somthing that doesnt sound right when I hear my heartbeat.I noticed it alot this morning when I was resting because of fluid in my ears.It sounds like my heart is hesitating and almost as if its going to stop.I don’t know if this is just the sound of the blow flow or breathing or what.I can hear my heartbeat so well its like its in my head.I got worried and tried to find the answer but everything that I read online suggest other symptoms I don’t have..
This was another thing that my doctors noted that they just didn’t have reason to believe I had any heart issue..I am just wondering could the sound I hear be normal cardiac sound or sinister?
A: Heart failure does not mean the heart stops, it is simply not pumping blood as it should so the body does not get as much blood and oxygen as it needs.
It is also your responsibility to carefully monitor yourself and help manage your condition. One important way to do this is to track your weight on a daily basis. Weight gain can be a sign that you are retaining fluid and that the pump function of your heart is worsening. Make sure you weigh yourself at the same time each day and on the same scale, with little to no clothes on.
Other important measures include:
* Take your medications as directed. Carry a list of medications with you wherever you go.
* Limit salt and sodium intake.
* Don’t smoke.
* Stay active. For example, walk or ride a stationary bicycle. Your doctor can provide a safe and effective exercise plan based on your degree of heart failure and how well you do on tests that check the strength and function of your heart. DO NOT exercise on days that your weight has gone up from fluid retention or you are not feeling well.
* Lose weight if you are overweight.
* Get enough rest, including after exercise, eating, or other activities. This allows your heart to rest as well. Keep your feet elevated to decrease swelling.
Here are some tips to lower your salt and sodium intake:
* Look for foods that are labeled “low-sodium,” “sodium-free,” “no salt added,” or “unsalted.” Check the total sodium content on food labels. Be especially careful of canned, packaged, and frozen foods. A nutritionist can teach you how to understand these labels.
* Don’t cook with salt or add salt to what you are eating. Try pepper, garlic, lemon, or other spices for flavor instead. Be careful of packaged spice blends as these often contain salt or salt products (like monosodium glutamate, MSG).
* Avoid foods that are naturally high in sodium, like anchovies, meats (particularly cured meats, bacon, hot dogs, sausage, bologna, ham, and salami), nuts, olives, pickles, sauerkraut, soy and Worcestershire sauces, tomato and other vegetable juices, and cheese.
* Take care when eating out. Stick to steamed, grilled, baked, boiled, and broiled foods with no added salt, sauce, or cheese.
* Use oil and vinegar, rather than bottled dressings, on salads.
* Eat fresh fruit or sorbet when having dessert.
Please see the web pages for more details on Heart failure.
Q: Congestive heart failure symptoms?
I have high bp. Treated with Coreg 180/110. Untreated-210/130. I also take Hydrochlorothiazide. I have been very tired for the last 2 weeks and my left leg and foot are retaining fluid.I have also been having weird headaches.Heart palps have become common-but more frequent as of late. Any help would be great.
Oh yeah,I am a 35yo female.
5′6 160lbs
I have been short of breath like my lungs won’t fill to the point of caughing
A: Exercise is a must. A mix of cardio and light strength training is an absolute necessity. It will help your body regulate. Additionally I would recommend a high quality garlic supplement. Garlicin is a cheap alternative that provides very high quality Allicin (the active ingredient in garlic that helps your heart). Chemically garlic is VERY unstable so I wouldn’t recommend trying to get enough garlic by eating it. The allicin takes time to become available in garlic and if it is cooked at all any possible allicin (or at least most of it) is destroyed.
You probably have a poor family hx because you are too yound and small to be experiencing these problems. I would also recommend Cayenne in capsule form. Be prepared it may cause heart burn. Start off on the smallest dose possible. IT WORKS WONDERS FOR CHF. Again be careful because there are some people who are particularly sensitive to Cayenne and it might make you vomit if you take too much.
If you are serious about controlling or curing your CHF you have to head to your local health food store and get on the Garlic, Cayenne and probably some Enteric Coated Omega-3 and CoQ-10. It will work if you combine them with routine exercise.
Also try limiting your fluid intake.
Q: Are there any symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure to look for?
I know someone who’s legs are swollen and bruised beyond being able to explain (going on 7 days). Her DR is out of the country for 2 months and she is refusing to go to the ER. Her local pharmacist even called his personal DR for her. He suggested CHF. She has tried Lasix with no positive outcome. Have you or anyone you know ever experienced this?
A: my father has congestive heart failure. before he has surgery, we noticed that he was tired all the time. he would have shortness of breath, and his energy level had dropped a whole lot. CHF is when the heart doesnt have the strength to push and pump the blood as needed, and it basically just sits there and over time, unseen, it will back up in the lining of the heart and the lungs, causing the lining to become weak. My father has a trac now, and depends on a ventillator. you need to convence your friend to get her rear-end to a doctor soon! tell your friend, until she can get to the dr, slow down her salt intake, and her fluid intake as well. no alcohol what so ever!! Lasix will make a small difference, but not enough. she needs to be checked for diabetes, and blood clots. sounds like pour circulation.
Q: Is one of the symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure having a persistent cough?
Kind of crackly.
A: Non productive and productive coughs can be a symptom of Congestive Heart Failure.
More common symptoms are shortness of breath, edema in the legs or abdomen, inability to lie flat, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
Q: What are the symptoms of heart attack or heart failure?
Much pain in the chest anytime one does strenuous activity
A: pain in the chest with strenuous activity can defenetly be a sign of angina. It should be evaluated by a cardiologist.
CHF=congestive heart failure=shortness of breath, it can occur suddenly (like pulmonary edeman) or it can creep up on people and be slowly progressive. Sometimes associated with needing two pillows to prop oneself up at night to breathe better, sometimes shortness of breath that occurs with even minimal activity, swelling of extremities, and weight gain.
Q: What are the signs and symptoms of left sided heart failure due to decreased cardiac output?
What are the signs and symptoms of left sided heart failure due to pulmonary congestion?
A: Left sided heart failure causes blood to back up into the lungs, which cause shortness of breath. It’s usually a systolic heart failure, meaning the problem is in the left ventricle and it’s inability to pump effectively to maintain cardiac output to perfuse the body. A way to understand symptoms is to think forward from the left ventricle: cardiac output is insufficient to deliver the needed oxygen and nutrients to the cells, so there will be fatigue, weakness, reduced ability to exercise, decreased ability to concentrate,decreased urine output, etc. Then think backwards from the left ventricle: blood backs up into the left atrium, then into pulmonary system. This causes shortness of breath with activity, or when you lie down, persistent coughing and white or blood-tinged sputum (phlegm), weight gain from fluid retention, just to name some.
Q: what are the symptoms of heart failure?
A: When you think of the symptoms of heart failure, think of the heart like a pump (which of course is what it is).
When a pump fails, fluid (blood) is not being moved to the places that it is supposed to and it therefore backs-up. One of the biggest symptoms of heart failure is fluid backing up either in the lungs or in the systemic circulation (legs, arms etc.)
The left side of the heart is responsible for taking blood from the lungs and pushing it into the rest of the body. So, when the left side of the heart failure, fluid backs-up into the lungs causing shortness of breath, and sometimes people will even cough up pink-colored fluid. The right side of the heart takes blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs, so when the right fails, the big symptom is fluid in the extremities (which is called edema). Since gravity pulls the fluid down, then often occurs in the legs.
Those are the biggies, but there are many more!
Q: Is weight loss a possible symptom of heart failure?
I know people suffering from congestive heart failure can gain weight because of swelling, but can weight loss also be an HF symptom?
Thanks for all the answer so far
But, I figure that because of all the swelling in my abdominal cavity, I feel full much faster and therefore eat less. Does that make sense?
A: well your bodys basic metabolic needs are not been met so it is a possibility
Q: what are the clinical symptoms of heart failure?
A: Normally you will show fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in your legs, trouble sleeping at night. If you have had high blood pressure, that could lead to heart failure if your blood pressure isn’t controlled. Also, infections, heart attacks, or simply a family history can lead to heart failure. It’s best to go get checked out by a cardiologist asap otherwise your heart could have permanent damage.
Q: What are symptoms of heart failure and kidney failure?
My dad has been a smoker for almost 30 year….his feet and legs ..abdomen down are extremely swollen, he wakes up because he can’t breathe laying down has a horrible horrible cough, i know his smoker cough but this has gotten extremely worse over the past week…the swelling started a couple days ago..he said he lost vision in his left eye…i heard these are signs of heart failure or kidney failure. If anyone knows anything, please let me know..i am taking him to the hospital tomorrow he is only 48. Any input and or opinions is very much appreciated. Thanks so much.
A: Discolouration in the finger tips or tips of the toes. swelling in arms and legs.
Q: If you go into hospital with symptoms of heart failure and your sent home with no test is this right?
My mother went to hospital yesturday for a routine tests on her heart, anyway she went to hospital with wheezing, difficult to wake up, low blood pressure, the doctors couldnt wake her but she was sent to the car in a wheelchair plus she was dribbling blood. Now i would of thought she should of been admitted and put on a ECG machine which would of found her enlarged heart resulting in savin her life. As my mother died yesturday from enlarged heart. But she does have something wrong with her left ventricle plus she has TTP (blood disorder) i apologise but i am mad they should of done some tests on my mum instead of sending her home then she died the same day in bed she was having heart failure while she was at hospital why couldnt the doctors pick it up.
A: I think she should have been admitted or observed for 24 Hours. Definitely she requires blood work/ other labs. Pathetic, simply pathetic.
Sorry to hear about irreplaceable loss.
Read and learn more about left heart failure. For more, visit the MyHeartyHeath.com website.
Q: How frequently does Left heart failure progress to biventricular failure?
How to predict risk of right heart failure in isolated left heart failure
A: Very frequently. The most common cause of Right Ventricular failure is left ventricular failure. The second common cause is pulmonary disease. When the left ventricle fails to eject some or most of its blood and the right ventricle is still sending its full storve volume to the left, there is a backup of blood causing an increased pulmonary vascular resistance. Fluid leaks out into the alveoli which presents as pulmonary edema. Due to the high pressures that the right ventricle has to pump against, eventually the right ventricle will fail.
Q: can somsone describe the difference between left heart failure and right heart failure?
in etiology, pathogenesis and symptoms. And what are the two ways in which right heart failure can occur, and what are the complications of heart failure?
A: Heart Failure is basically the heart’s inability to function as an effective and efficient pump. The etiology or pathogenesis stems from actual damage to the heart tissue. Damage can occur from myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), stenosis from any of the valves (mitral, aortic, pulmonic, tricuspid), pulmonary hypertension, or disease process such as pericarditis. Complications from heart failure includes a decreased ejection fraction, increased fatigue, general weakness, shortness of breath, dyspnea on exertion, pulmonary edema, and pitting edema to the lower extremities. I hope this helps. Feel free to email me if you have any other questions.
Q: What are the signs and symptoms of left sided heart failure due to decreased cardiac output?
What are the signs and symptoms of left sided heart failure due to pulmonary congestion?
A: Left sided heart failure causes blood to back up into the lungs, which cause shortness of breath. It’s usually a systolic heart failure, meaning the problem is in the left ventricle and it’s inability to pump effectively to maintain cardiac output to perfuse the body. A way to understand symptoms is to think forward from the left ventricle: cardiac output is insufficient to deliver the needed oxygen and nutrients to the cells, so there will be fatigue, weakness, reduced ability to exercise, decreased ability to concentrate,decreased urine output, etc. Then think backwards from the left ventricle: blood backs up into the left atrium, then into pulmonary system. This causes shortness of breath with activity, or when you lie down, persistent coughing and white or blood-tinged sputum (phlegm), weight gain from fluid retention, just to name some.
Q: what is a nursing Dx for a patient with Chronic left sided heart failure?
could I write ” Decreased cardiac output related to left ventricular failure”?
Can I put the actual medical diagnosis in my nursing diagnosis? Decreased cardiac output related to Chronic left sided heart failure?
A: Decreased cardiac output is a definite nursing dx for this person. Activity intolerance is another probable one. Fluid volume excess is another one that is probable for this person. Altered cardiopulmonary tissue perfusion is another good one.
Q: how does left heart failure lead to right heart failure?
I would like to know the exact mechanism to it and the source. Thank you very much.
A: Right heart failure the most common causes are left ventricular failure resulting from pulmonary resistance and pulmonary hypertension hyperemia. Right heart failure occurred less alone.more see the www.bdg365.com
Q: Heart failure on the left and right side is different?
Why is it that when a person has failure of the right side of the heart the primary symptom is swelling in the ankle area, but if the left side of the heart begins to experience weakness there is congestive heart failure where fluid begins to accumulate in the lungs? Why are there these different symptoms?
A: The flow of blood is: blood from body returns to right side of heart, then to lungs to pick up oxygen, then to left side of heart, then back to the body. So, in right heart failure, blood backs up into the body (primarily noticed in the legs as swelling). In left heart failure, it backs up into the lungs causing shortness of breath.
Q: What is the prognosis of patients with Left Congestive Heart Failure?
A: Too little information of course, one would need age,gender,past history,medication history,fitness etc.
Overall however CCF does have a definite mortality rate and is for example more serious than angina.
Q: What are the symptoms of left sided heart failure?
A: Symptoms
Shortness of breath
Difficulty lying down; need to sleep with the head elevated to avoid shortness of breath
Sensation of feeling the heartbeat (palpitations)
Irregular or rapid pulse
Cough (produces frothy or blood-tinged mucus)
Fatigue, weakness, faintness
Weight gain from fluid retention
Decreased urine production (oliguria)
Infants may have poor feeding, weight loss, and failure to thrive
Q: What percentage of pts with newly diagnosed with left ventricular heart failure have no previous medical Hx.?
Best guess as to the percentage of pts who “alll of a sudden” develop left ventricualr HF with out having any kind of medical hx, MI, stroke, diabetes, hypertension etc.
A: It is difficult to find numbers for that sort of thing. Most studies that attempt to tally the causes for left ventricular dysfunction focus on specific areas – Japan, Africa, Olmstead County… I suspect that’s why nobody has answered the question so far.
What I can tell you is that 30-40% of cases of left ventricular dysfunction are non-ischemic, meaning their poor ventricular function is not due to coronary artery disease. This group is made up of people with heart failure due to alcohol, arrhythmias, genetic causes, viral infections, pregnancy or in some cases no apparent reason at all. I hope that helps.
Q: How to tell if it’s Right sided heart failure or Left sided heart failure?
A: If u have studyd even a bit of biology, this should be easy. Your Left side of the heart send blood to ur body while ur right side receives blood to ur body and sends it to the lungs then back to the left lung.
So, If u have left sided heart failure, ur heart wont be able to send blood to ur body, hence u will feel weak, the blood will be flowing backward to ur lungs congesting them therefore the symptoms will mostly be respiratory, eg. shortness of breath,on exertion (dyspnée d’effort) and in severe cases, dyspnea at rest. Increasing breathlessness on lying flat, called orthopnea, occurs. It is often measured in the number of pillows required to lie comfortably, and in severe cases, the patient may resort to sleeping while sitting up. Another symptom of heart failure is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea also known as “cardiac asthma”, a sudden nighttime attack of severe breathlessness, usually several hours after going to sleep.
IF u have right sided heart failure (which is usually due to left sided heart failure) it leads to congestion of systemic capillaries since the heart can not pump blood back to the lungs. This helps to generate excess fluid accumulation in the body. This causes swelling under the skin (termed peripheral edema or anasarca) and usually affects the dependent parts of the body first (causing foot and ankle swelling in people who are standing up, and sacral edema in people who are predominantly lying down). Nocturia (frequent nighttime urination) may occur when fluid from the legs is returned to the bloodstream while lying down at night. In progressively severe cases, ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity causing swelling) and hepatomegaly (painful enlargement of the liver) may develop. Significant liver congestion may result in impaired liver function, and jaundice and even coagulopathy (problems of decreased blood clotting) may occur.
Q: Can anyone tell me what the treatments are for left sided heart failure?
A: Kinda depends on the cause, but usually the cornerstones of treatment are dietary salt/sodium restriction, ACE inhibitors (drugs with names ending in -pril) or ARBs (-sartans), diuretics (furosemide is the most common). Sometimes beta-blockers are used (drugs with names ending in -olol or carvedilol).
Q: How would you tell the difference in right and left sided heart failure? (A.S.A.P.10 pts)?
please put the source if you used one.
please be specific as well. be detailed as much as you can.
thanks.
A: Right-sided failure vs left-sided failure is best guessed based on where the edema is… right side is edematous feet/ankles, left side is edematous lungs.
Because of the failure of the one side of the heart to function properly, there is a ‘back pressure’ of fluid (blood). Fluids are forced into the surrounding tissues because of the increased pressure, causing swelling. Since the right side of the heart receives blood from the body, the swelling will be in the part with greatest pressure and poorest return circulation (the feet and ankles). Since the left side of the heart receives blood from the lungs, the increased pressure in the pleural vasculature will cause the fluids to shift into the space that’s available (the alveoli) and you get “water on the lungs” with a wet cough and wet lung sounds.
Q: What could I teach a patient with left sided heart failure?….stumped student nurse?
yes i know the most obvious…i guess. I would just like a very simple teaching topic. She’s older, cant walk, just had pacer put in…. any ideas? please (it [teaching topic]doesnt HAVE to do with her heart failure)
A: Diet, limitations, taking her meds even if she feels good, proper positions when resting, how to participate in her own care as much as possible
Q: Which of the following is most likely to cause left-sided congestive heart failure?
a. incompetent tricuspid heart valve
b. chronic pulmonary disease
c. infarction in the right atrium
d. uncontrolled essential hypertension
A: D.
Actually, the main reason for left heart failure isn’t listed (coronary artery disease), so I’ll go with D.
When the blood pressure is poorly controlled, it puts increased strain on the left ventricle. Over time, this can weaken the heart muscle.
All of the other answers would indicate reasons/causes of RHF.
Q: Left sided heart failure?
I’m writing a thesis on Left sided heart failure. Any good information resources I can look into?
A: look up words like preload afterload,..mitral valve regurge
cardio myopathy,…