Table of Contents Show
How to prevent congestive heart failure? Congestive heart failure 1is also called heart failure.
It is a very serious condition in which the heart cannot pump blood efficiently as it should. Congestive heart failure is a type of disease common in every age group.
Irrespective of its name, heart failure means that the heart muscle has become less able to contract over time; in other words, it has a mechanical problem that may limit its ability to filter blood.
As a result, it can not keep up with the blood body demand up to the mark, and blood returns to the heart faster than it used to be pumped out. In simple words, it becomes congested or backed up.
This pumping problem means that the heart cannot pump enough oxygen-rich blood, which is required by the body’s organs. Apart from congestive heart failure, there are a lot of other diseases related to the heart.
What Is Congestive Heart Failure?
This is a type of disease in which the heart is not able to pump enough oxygenated blood to other parts of the body. The body tries to compensate for this problem in different ways.
The heartbeats get faster and take less time to refill after it contracts, but the extra effort can cause heart palpitations for longer. In some cases, the heart can also enlarge in size and bit to make room for the blood.
The lungs fill with fluid, which causes shortness of breath. It also affects the kidney and can cause kidney failure when they do not receive enough blood.
Without and with treatment, heart failure is often and most progressive, which means it gradually gets worse. The best way to overcome this disease is the proper treatment, maintaining a healthy weight, a healthy lifestyle, good heart health, and a healthy diet. All these help in the treatment of heart disease.
More than around 5 million people in the United States of America have congestive heart failure. It is a very common diagnosis in hospitalized patients over the age of 65 years.
Signs Of Congestive Heart Failure
The early sign of congestive heart failure involves certain symptoms. These symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath.
- Wheezing.
- Increased heart rate.
- Fatigue.
- Lack of appetite.
- Weight loss or gain.
- Confused mental state.
1. How To Prevent Congestive Heart Failure?
The best way to avoid congestive heart failure is to prevent the conditions contributing to it or manage them if they develop carefully.
1.1. Stop Smoking
It is the major risk factor for heart failure and heart disease, and people who usually smoke are at high risk. Smoking causes arterial damage that then causes heart failure. Also clear of secondhand smoke2.
It causes abnormal heart rhythms in the person who consumes it regularly, causing high blood pressure and increasing the heart attack rate. It damages the coronary artery and causes chest pain.
1.2. Healthy Lifestyle
Eat in a heart-healthy way means eating those food items which are very beneficial for heart health.
Eat foods containing little saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and trans fat. Drink as much water as you can. Additionally, take fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy items, and lean protein such as chicken.
A good balance diet reduces risk factors and heart attack chances. Those people who take a proper amount of balanced diet have less heart failure risk. Good food helps in reducing congenital heart disease3 also.
Apart from all these, good food and lifestyle changes may help maintain the coronary artery’s good condition4, blood flow, blood vessels, disease control, and blood pressure. It also reduces the chances of chronic heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, and systolic heart failure.
1.3. Healthy Weight
Healthy weight gain is necessary for the individual to live a better life. Along with a good and proper diet, being physically active is very important. It helps achieve this goal and is also great for heart failure treatment.
The healthy win is also related to family history. If the individual has a family history of being heavyweight, then there are more chances to gain weight by the individual.
2. Symptoms Of Heart Failure
It is not always compulsory to have any symptoms before heart failure5. There are some cases in which heart failure does not have any symptoms.
Heart failure treatment is very difficult in some cases, but using ventricular assist devices and heart transplant gives the medical field solve the difficulties related to heart failure. Some of the symptoms of heart failure or heart failure symptoms include –
2.1. Congested Lungs
Congested lungs come under the category of severe symptoms of heart failure. Fluid backup in the lungs causes shortness of breath with difficulty in breathing. Lung congestion causes a dry hacking cough, sometimes wheezing, and irregular heartbeats.
Medical Education is required to treat wheezing, and proper blood tests are conducted for the examination to check for heart failure.
2.2. Water Retention
Symptoms of water retention may cause increased urination, especially during the night. Less oxygenated blood in the kidney causes fluid buildup in the kidneys, resulting in swollen ankles, abdomen, legs, and sometimes weight gain. This is among the pre-heart failure symptoms.6
Sometimes, bloating occurs in the stomach, which causes loss of appetite and nausea. Less blood is pumped into the kidney, and due to less blood, kidney cells start deteriorating.
2.3. Dizziness
Coronary artery disease, blood pressure, and less blood to the major muscles and organs make the individual fatigue, weak, and dizzy. And less blood in the brain also confuses the blood.
2.4. Irregular Heart Beat
Due to coronary artery disease, problems in the left ventricle, blood pressure, systolic left ventricular dysfunction, and defect in blood vessels cause irregular heartbeat.
In an irregular heartbeat, the heart beats faster than the normal rate.
3. What Are The Different Types Of Heart Attacks?
Well, it is very difficult to categorize a heart attack. But, let me simplify the types of heart attacks for you as you know that preventing heart failure needs a lot of prevention and precautions.
The first thing is to relax properly, along with this you have to follow a good lifestyle and balanced diet.
Preventing heart failure is easy for people who follow all the above steps properly. According to the National Institutes of Health, a Heart attack is categorized into two types. Systolic heart failure and Diastolic heart failure.
3.1. Systolic Dysfunction
Systolic dysfunction generally happens when the heart muscles do not contract with enough force, and as a result, low blood-containing oxygen is pumped to different parts of the organs.
3.2. Diastolic Dysfunction
When the movement of the ventricles is not normal and the heart contracts normally, the condition is called diastolic dysfunction. In this, the ventricles cannot relax properly and become stiff. This type is common in those with a medical history; the chances of developing heart failure are higher.
4. Stages Of Heart Failure
This is very difficult to divide the different stages of heart failure. Still, with a lot of hard work and examination, the national institutes of Health and the American Heart Association categorize the heart failure stages.
In 2001, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association described the Human Heart failure stages. Further, these stages were updated in the year 2005 by the American Heart Association.
The stages classified by the National Institutes Of Health and AHA, ACC differ from the New York Heart Association. The AHA and AHA classified the stages as stages A, B, C, and D.
4.1. Stage A
Stage A is the condition of pre-heart failure. It is the start of heart disease. The risk factors for the Stage A conditions are a change in lifestyle or the patient’s family history.
According to the National Institutes Of Health, stage A has some symptoms that people ignore. But according to medical education, if these symptoms are taken seriously, then major heart disease is prevented.
4.1.1. Symptoms Of Stage A
These symptoms include rapid or irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, and the patient feels like nausea. If these symptoms are taken seriously, the doctor will refer to some tests to confirm whether it is heart disease or not.
4.1.2. Tests For Stage A
When you visit any doctor with such symptoms, they will first ask you about the family history of the disease. Then the doctor will ask you to go for some tests so that the doctor will confirm the disease based on the results. These tests are blood tests, stress tests, BNP blood tests, and chest x-ray.
4.1.3. Medication For Stage A
In this condition, the heart muscle is not able to work properly and pump the right amount of blood needed by the body, so for that exercises are recommended by the doctor so that the proper blood flow will take place.
The blood pressure is also high in this condition, so medication is provided to maintain the blood pressure. The doctor will ask you to reduce the sodium in your diet and stop the intake of alcohol and tobacco.
4.2. Stage B
When the symptoms of Stage A are not taken seriously, the disease will become more severe, and it will develop severe symptoms in the echocardiograms. The ejection fraction is around 40%.
Now you will ask what ejection fraction is. So, let me tell you, ejection fraction is a method in medical education that tells us about the severity of the disease and its symptoms. By this method, we will find out whether the person will develop systolic heart failure or not.
4.2.1. Symptoms Of Stage B
The symptoms of Stage B include high levels of cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, coronary artery disease, and the condition of nausea.7
4.2.2. Tests For Stage B
The situation Stage B arrives due to the ignorance of Stage A symptoms, and it leaves a bad impact on the body functions.
First, the doctor will diagnose the systolic left ventricular dysfunction because this situation can cause the impairment of the left ventricle. Then the doctor goes for Magnetic resonance imaging, also known as MRI and electrocardiogram.
4.2.3. Medication For Stage B
There is various medication option for the stage B condition. These include beta-blockers which will control the heart rate and decrease high blood pressure. Angiotensin II receptor blocker will release the pressure from the arteries and the veins, and then it will lower the blood pressure.
4.3. Stage C
It is the third stage of heart disease, and slowly the situation is going out of control due to ignorance of symptoms and lack of treatment.
Here the symptoms become more severe and increase the risk of a cardiac attack or heart attack. The heart muscle stops doing its function, and the heart is not able to pump blood in the right amount.
4.3.1. Symptoms Of Stage C
In this condition, the symptoms become more severe that they are not ignored. These symptoms are swelling on the abdomen and ankles, shortness of breath, palpitations, frequent urination during nighttime, an increased chance of lung diseases, and making a person physically weak.
4.3.2. Tests For Stage C
By knowing the symptoms, the doctor got the idea that it might be a heart disease but to know the severity of the disease, the doctor will ask for the reports of some tests. These tests are magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, stress test, and cardiac catheterization.
4.3.3. Medications For Stage C
There is some medication for stage C of heart disease. They use of implantable cardiac defibrillator for the proper maintenance of the vibrations. The doctors also recommend cardiac resynchronization therapy for maintaining the proper heartbeat. But you also need a balanced diet.
4.4 Stage D
This is the last stage of heart disease which shows highly severe symptoms, and the heart muscle weakens too much, leading to a heart attack because it cannot pump blood.
4.4.1 Symptoms Of Stage D
In this stage, the symptoms remain persistent and are not easily cured. The symptoms are high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, kidney disease due to which the kidney cannot hold the salt and water, arrhythmia, lungs becoming weaker and causing respiration problems, and atrial fibrillation.
Generally, all the organs get weaker because they don’t get the right amount of blood needed them.
4.4.2. Tests For Stage D
There are various tests for stage D conditions. These tests are cardiac catheterization, magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiogram, multi-gated acquisition scan (MUGA scan), chest x-ray, and electrocardiogram.
After all these tests, the Lung function test (LFT) and Kidney function test (KFT) are also done to check the lung and kidney damage.
4.4.3. Medications For Stage D
This is the last stage that can only be treated by the ventricular assist device, which is used to maintain the heartbeat of the hospitalized patient. There are various therapies given to patients in the hospital.
5. Diagnosis
There is no particular test for heart failure. Heart failure treatment comprises many techniques, including cardiac resynchronization therapy, diabetes medications, normal ejection fraction, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The diagnosis of heart failure includes a few tests which are mentioned below.
5.1. Electrocardiogram
This is a painless test that gives general information about the heart’s present condition. Tells us how fast the heart beats and whether any periods of a heart attack occur in an individual’s life. In this, electrical activity or electrical impulses are used to know the condition of the heart.
5.2. Chest X-Ray
In this, electrical activity or electrical impulses are used to know the condition of the heart. The test provides a picture of the heart, lungs, and overall chest structure that reveals whether the heart is enlarged in size and also checks the signs of lung damage.
5.3. Cardiac Catheterization
This test is generally recommended when the doctors are unsure of the exact reason behind the heart failure and they want to ensure that the reason behind the heart attack is coronary artery disease.
5.4. Stress Test
Stress also plays a very important role in heart attack, So the stress test is very important. Stress tests are in the higher risk factors category for those who fail.
Noninvasive stress tests provide specific information about the individual.
5.5. Blood Tests
We can also find out from the blood test whether the individual ever encounters a heart attack or congenital heart defect. We can also find the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor presence and ejection fraction from the blood test.
6. How To Prevent Heart Failure?
You will get many ways by which you can prevent heart failure or, in other ways, so many preventions by which you can protect your heart from failure.
6.1. Stay Active
According to the National Institutes Of Health, it is said that if you are active during your whole life, if you follow a healthy lifestyle and well-balanced diet, then there are fewer chances of the individual getting a heart attack in life span.
It is necessary to be active to keep your heart’s main pumping chamber in good condition. It is advisable to follow a good lifestyle, avoid too much alcohol consumption, and follow regular physical exam test protocols, to monitor your heart condition at every point of your life.
Try for at least half an hour a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises- and yes, try not to sit around for more than two hours a day.
6.2. Drugs
Even occasional use of the following drugs, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines, can harm your heart health. It can disbalance your heart rate and blood pressure and also harder your left ventricle.
6.3. Alcohol
How much blood is pumped by the heart is very important in heart failure, but alcohol consumption also plays a vital role. As stated by American Heart Association, and the Texas Heart Institute, people consuming alcohol have more chances of getting heart-attack than a normal person who does not consume alcohol.
7. Treatment
Although heart failure is a very complex disease, yes, this disease has disease control. Much medical education is available now a day for treating heart attacks.
7.1. Medications
Every doctor first treats high blood pressure and then starts the medication related to the heart attack. This medication involves
-
Aldosterone antagonists.
-
Beta-blockers.
-
Blood vessel dilators.
-
Diuretics.
All these medicines will be preserved the left ventricular function of the heart. The Blood Institute and the American Heart Association confirm that these medicines are safe and recommended for use in heart failure.
7.2. Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardiac rehabilitation includes the workout and exercises to help keep up a heart-healthy. This program is also recommended by doctors, along with medicines for the treatment of heart failure. Cardiac rehabilitation also provides emotional support.
Final Note
How to prevent Congestive heart failure? It is a type of condition in which the heart cannot pump enough oxygenated blood to all parts of the body, and there are many reasons behind the development of this disease like blood pressure, lifestyle changes, disease control, and ejection fraction.
Heart failure is common in those with weak heart muscles or heart disease. It may be related to left-sided heart failure, or sometimes it is only related to advanced heart failure. The relieving symptoms of heart failure include high blood pressure.
Congestive heart failure generally happens in older people, but due to the changing lifestyle, congestive heart failure is very common in every age group.
Congestive heart failure can be prevented by following the exercises, workouts, and tips. Heart failure is very common in every age group, as are many other problems related to the heart.
Your heart health is very important, so take care and work towards it every day! Stay healthy and happy.
FAQs
1. What is the reason behind congestive heart failure?
The main cause or reason behind this kind of heart failure primarily is coronary artery disease. Blood triglyceride and/or cholesterol levels that are too high are a few possible causes of coronary heart disease.
2. How do heart failure and congestive differ from one another?
Heart failure, also known as HF, is actually a result of inadequate heart pumping. Despite the fact that the names are occasionally used interchangeably, congestive heart failure is a specific type of heart failure that needs prompt medical intervention.
3. How is congestive heart failure identified?
Congestive heart failure diagnostic testing could consist of ECG during exercise or at rest (also known as EKG, ECG, or stress test) Echocardiogram, and a CT scan for computed tomography.
- Braunwald, Eugene, and Michael R. Bristow. “Congestive heart failure: fifty years of progress.” Circulation 102.suppl_4 (2000): Iv-14. ↩︎
- Barnoya, Joaquin, and Stanton A. Glantz. “Cardiovascular effects of secondhand smoke: nearly as large as smoking.” Circulation 111.20 (2005): 2684-2698. ↩︎
- Van Der Bom, Teun, et al. “Treatment of congenital heart disease: risk-reducing measures in young adults.” Future cardiology 7.2 (2011): 227-240. ↩︎
- Task Force Members, et al. “2013 ESC guidelines on the management of stable coronary artery disease: the Task Force on the management of stable coronary artery disease of the European Society of Cardiology.” European heart journal 34.38 (2013): 2949-3003. ↩︎
- Schiff, Gordon D., et al. “Decompensated heart failure: symptoms, patterns of onset, and contributing factors.” The American journal of medicine 114.8 (2003): 625-630. ↩︎
- Aoki, Shoko, et al. “Risk factors for pre‐heart failure or symptomatic heart failure based on NT‐proBNP.” ESC Heart Failure 10.1 (2023): 90-99. ↩︎
- Balaban, Carey D., and Bill J. Yates. “What is nausea? A historical analysis of changing views.” Autonomic Neuroscience 202 (2017): 5-17. ↩︎
Last Updated on by ayeshayusuf
Author
