Heart failure. These two words from your doctor undoubtedly leave you thinking now what? You likely have questions and want answers.
First things first. A diagnosis of failure is no longer a death sentence. Also known as congestive heart failure, it means your heart can’t pump blood as well as it should to meet your body’s needs. This common, chronic condition affects nearly seven million American adults.
With heart failure, your heart can’t support the body as it should, which can lead to:
- Fatigue and weakness
- Leg or belly swelling
- Shortness of breath, cough
- Weight gain from fluid retention
Heart failure risk factors
Risk factors for heart failure can include:
- Alcoholism
- Amyloidosis
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Valvular disease
Contributing factors to heart failure include family and medical history, lifestyle. A patient’s care plan may include advanced cardiac testing, cardiac rehabilitation, implantable cardiac device placement, and medical and surgical options – in addition to exercise and nutritional counseling.
Symptoms of advanced heart failure
Symptoms of advanced heart failure include blood pressure that is too low, too much fluid retention and poor kidney function, according to Michael Beasley, MD, an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist with Yale New Haven Health Heart and Vascular Center (HVC), and assistant professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine (YSM). He said care options for advanced heart failure may include left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation or heart transplant.
“Though heart failure typically occurs more often with age, it can affect individuals at any age. In fact, there has been a notable rise in cases of heart failure among younger populations in the past 10 years. Furthermore, early lifestyle habits, such as eating a poor diet or not being physically active, may elevate the risk of developing heart failure in the future,” Dr. Beasley said.
Heart failure treatment
Heart failure is a diagnosis requiring specialized care. At Yale New Haven Health Heart and Vascular Center, patients learn about heart failure, treatment options and how they can live with the diagnosis. A patient’s treatment plan is customized based on their own needs and matches care goals with the best treatments available.
In addition to medical and surgical options, exercise, for example, can help strengthen the heart muscle, improve muscle strength and tone, increase energy levels, and reduce the chance of future heart problems, according to Michael Chen, MD, an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist at Yale New Haven Health HVC, and assistant professor of Medicine, YSM.
Education becomes a heart-felt focus
Education from a multidisciplinary team is key to tackling, understanding and managing heart failure. Patients and family members learn about the condition, treatments, and varied medications including diuretics, and the importance of how food choices can make a positive difference. Yale New Haven Hospital is one of 15 hospitals selected nationwide participating in an American Heart Association heart failure education program aimed at enhancing patients’ quality of care.
“Despite its name, the future of congestive heart failure is bright,” Dr. Chen said. “Recent years have brought tremendous advances in treating the condition. The survival and quality of life for patients has improved dramatically and will continue to improve as we develop increased and improved treatments. At Yale New Haven Health, we offer the most advanced therapies along with a world class medical team to support our patients on their journey.”
