When the heart loses its ability to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body the patient is diagnosed with _?
|
Everything you need to know about heart failure, shared by the National Heart Centre Singapore's Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Show
What is heart failure?Heart failure happens when the heart loses its ability to pump enough blood, leaving the organs and tissues with insufficient oxygen and nutrients to function properly. In congestive heart failure, there is a build-up of fluid in the tissues (an oedema). How is heart failure diagnosed?“Doctors diagnose heart failure by looking at a patient’s symptoms and medical history, doing a physical examination and conducting tests,” explained doctors from the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS), a member of the SingHealth group. These tests include a chest radiograph, electrocardiogram (ECG; also called EKG), other imaging tests and cardiac catheterisation. Symptoms of heart failure
What causes heart failure?
Treatment of heart failureMedicine and lifestyle changesFor most patients, heart failure is a chronic disease with no cure, but it can be managed and treated with medicines and lifestyle changes. It helps to reduce salt intake to lessen swelling in the legs, feet and abdomen and have a healthy diet to maintain a proper body weight. Quitting smoking and giving up or cutting down on alcohol also help. Low-impact aerobic exercises, walking, cycling or swimming may be recommended, but patients must only start on an exercise programme with the advice of their doctors. Heart surgerySometimes, surgery is needed. Congenital heart defects and abnormal heart valves can be repaired with surgery. Blocked coronary arteries can usually be treated with angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery. Heart devices or transplantsWith severe or endstage heart failure, the heart muscles may become so damaged that available treatments will not help. When all other treatments do not work, patients are usually considered for mechanical heart devices and heart transplantation. See previous page to learn about the new advancements in heart implants. Ref: Q15 OverviewCardiomyopathy (kahr-dee-o-my-OP-uh-thee) is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure. The main types of cardiomyopathy include dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Treatment — which might include medications, surgically implanted devices, heart surgery or, in severe cases, a heart transplant — depends on the type of cardiomyopathy and how serious it is. Types
SymptomsThere might be no signs or symptoms in the early stages of cardiomyopathy. But as the condition advances, signs and symptoms usually appear, including:
Signs and symptoms tend to get worse unless treated. In some people, the condition worsens quickly; in others, it might not worsen for a long time. When to see a doctorSee your health care provider if you have one or more signs or symptoms associated with cardiomyopathy. Call 911 or your local emergency number if you have severe difficulty breathing, fainting or chest pain that lasts for more than a few minutes. Some types of cardiomyopathy can be passed down through families (inherited). If you have the condition, your health care provider might recommend that your family members be checked. Sign up for free, and receive heart transplant and heart failure content, plus expertise on
heart health. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information
as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. CausesOften the cause of the cardiomyopathy is unknown. In some people, however, it's the result of another condition (acquired) or passed on from a parent (inherited). Certain health conditions or behaviors that can lead to acquired cardiomyopathy include:
Types of cardiomyopathy include:
Risk factorsThere are a number of things that can increase your risk of cardiomyopathy, including:
Many diseases also raise your risk of cardiomyopathy, including:
ComplicationsCardiomyopathy can lead to serious complications, including:
PreventionIn many cases, there's no prevention for cardiomyopathy. Let your health care provider know if you have a family history of the condition. You can help reduce your risk of cardiomyopathy and other types of heart disease by living a heart-healthy lifestyle, including:
The Mayo Clinic experience and patient storiesOur patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients.
What is it called when the heart stops beating and is no longer pumping blood to the rest of the body?Overview. Sudden cardiac arrest is the abrupt loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. The condition usually results from a problem with your heart's electrical system, which disrupts your heart's pumping action and stops blood flow to your body.
What are the 4 signs of heart failure?There are many possible symptoms of heart failure.. Shortness of breath.. Feeling tired (fatigue).. Less able to exercise.. Weak legs.. Waking up to urinate.. Swollen feet, ankles, lower legs and abdomen (edema).. What happens if blood flow to the heart is reduced to a critical level?If you have coronary artery disease, reduced blood flow to the heart can cause chest pain (angina) and shortness of breath. A complete blockage of blood flow can cause a heart attack. Coronary artery disease often develops over decades.
Is the death of the heart muscle due to the lack of blood flow to the heart?Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) A heart attack (medically known as a myocardial infarction) is a deadly medical emergency where your heart muscle begins to die because it isn't getting enough blood flow. This is usually caused by a blockage in the arteries that supply blood to your heart.
|
