Risk Factors of Heart Failure

  • Heart Failure
    Heart Failure is a commonly seen condition amongst our aging population. In spite of advanced therapeutic science, incidence rates continue to increase. Life expectancy of patients with Heart Failure can be improved with lifestyle changes and compliance with their treatment plan. Mumbai-based cardiologist, Dr Nihar Mehta explains Heart Failure comprehensively.
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 11 December 2021
Stock pic that says heart failure and shows a stethoscope and some meds

What are the risk factors associated with heart failure?

Patients prone to heart diseases are all prone to heart failure as well. This includes patients with high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, family history of heart attacks, heart valve diseases, arrhythmias, renal failure, anemia, thyroid diseases, etc. Rarely, the heart can be affected by congenital heart disease from birth, diseases of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), infections of the heart (myocarditis, endocarditis), chemotherapy agents and other cardio-toxic agents, etc.

Can people with low blood pressure suffer from Heart Failure?

Yes. When people with low blood pressure have heart failure, they have to be started on medications to increase blood pressure and organ perfusion. In case the blood pressure cannot be increased with medications alone, special devices like intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP), Impella pump, extra-corporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) or LVAD (left ventricular assist devices) can be used to improve the cardiac output.

Changed
11/Dec/2021
Community
Diabetes
Heart and Cardio-vascular
Condition
Heart Failure

Stories

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    Prevention of Heart Failure
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    Management of Heart Failure
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    Heart Failure Treatment
    What is the treatment of heart failure Immediate management of heart failure includes medications to form urine – diuretics which will reduce the congestion and relieve the symptoms of breathlessness. Other therapy includes oxygen therapy or use of ventilation therapy (non-invasive ventilation or invasive ventilator support based on the severity of the heart failure). Blood pressure stabilizing medications are usually needed to reduce the blood pressure if the BP is high or vice versa increase…
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    Diagnosis and Tests for Heart Failure
    How is Heart Failure diagnosed? Heart failure is a clinical diagnosis. The doctor will take into account the symptoms and risk factors and correlate those with clinical examination findings of heart rate, blood pressure, pressure wave forms of the venous pulse (JVP), chest and cardiac examination and examination of your abdomen and limbs. If the diagnosis of heart failure is suspected, certain blood tests like BNP ( B-type Natriuretic Peptide), NT-ProBNP (N Terminal B-type Natriuretic Peptide)…
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    Risk Factors of Heart Failure
    What are the risk factors associated with heart failure? Patients prone to heart diseases are all prone to heart failure as well. This includes patients with high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, family history of heart attacks, heart valve diseases, arrhythmias, renal failure, anemia, thyroid diseases, etc. Rarely, the heart can be affected by congenital heart disease from birth, diseases of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), infections…
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    Signs and Symptoms of Heart Failure
    What are the symptoms or signs of heart failure? The main symptom of heart failure is shortness of breath. Often it is a feeling of choking or discomfort in breathing. An important symptom is that the breathlessness is more in lying down posture and is often relieved in sitting up position. This is occasionally accompanied with coughing (usually with minimal sputum) and rarely with blood tinged frothy cough. Often patients have subtle signs to start with such as fatigue and tiredness while…
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    Types and Stages of Heart Failure
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    What is Heart Failure
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