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Note on Heart Failure

The term heart failure, while loaded in context, is a general description of disorders related to the movement of blood to the heart or from the heart to the extremities. Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped pumping blood to the body.The heart is a muscle with four chambers that pump blood. The "atria" are the upper two chambers, the "ventricles" the lower two. The heart is really two pumps that together move blood through the body

Heart failure has two main forms: systolic dysfunction (which is more common) and diastolic dysfunction. In systolic dysfunction, the heart contracts less forcefully and cannot pump out as much of the blood that is returned to it as it normally does.

Heart failure can be caused by any number of conditions, including anemia, genetic family history, infection, alcoholism, heartworms, hypertension, thyrotoxicosis, cardiac fibrosis, arrhythmia, mitral regurgitation,anorexia, aortic stenosis, mitral valve disease, or pulmonary embolism.

Symptoms of Heart Failure:

Congestion
Shortness of breath
Rapid heartbeat
Swelling
Nocturnal breathlessness

Treatment of heart failure:

Medications
Managing other problems
Regular exercise
Quit smoking
Discontinue alcohol or illegal drug use

If the left side of your heart is affected, then the rest of your body will not get enough oxygen from the blood. In both kinds of heart failure, you can be short of breath and tired all of the time. Sometimes, heart failure can lead to a heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction.

Treatment of congestive heart failure includes a combination of diet, drugs, rest, and restricted daily activity. Digitalis is often given to strengthen heart function. It is also helpful in slowing down the heart rate and decreasing heart size. This then helps the body to rid itself of the extra fluids.

Prevention. If the underlying cause is responsive to treatment, heart failure can be postponed or alleviated. When surgery is indicated, it should be done before heart failure develops. Patients with a history of endocarditis or a rheumatic heart should be on preventive, antibiotic drug program.

There are also nutritional and herbal supplements which can help strengthen the heart and help alleviate the most worrisome symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure.

A variety of medications is usually prescribed to a patient who has experienced congestive heart failure. Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, Beta blockers, etc are just some of the few that you could be prescribed.

Diet is perhaps the main culprit in the rise of heart disease. Face it, with all the advertisements on the radio and television promoting low fat diets and healthy eating we still don’t listen. We are in a hurry so we eat what is convenient and tasty. High cholesterol, high fat diets simply do not promote heart health.

Whole fruit and fruit and vegetable juice, which are high in potassium, are also recommended by some doctors.

Other substances that have shown to be beneficial to CHF patients include magnesium, thiamin, L-carnitine and Hawthorne.

If you feel you suffer from any of the conditions outlined above, please consult your doctor and get treatment as soon as possible.Remember that accurate diagnosis is the first step to treatment.

Article Source: http://articlesltd.com

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