How will I know if my heart is failing?
Written by:Heart failure is the topic on the menu for discussion in one of today’s informative articles, as Top Doctors quizzes leading London-based consultant cardiologist, Dr Paramjit Jeetley on the condition's warning signs and risk factors.
If you are worried that you may be at risk of suffering from the serious heart condition, read on to find out if it is curable or not, and what measures you can take to either reduce your chances of suffering from heart failure or reduce the associated symptoms.
What are the main risk factors associated with heart failure?
Heart failure is an umbrella term that is used to describe a number of symptoms and physical signs which are caused by the heart not working efficiently. There are a number of underlying reasons why the heart may not work properly. Depending on the underlying reason for heart failure, there are a number of factors that can increase the likelihood of having heart failure. These include:
- family history of heart failure
- history of a heart attack
- previous treatment with certain chemotherapy agents
- use of recreational drugs
- excessively high alcohol intake
- viral illnesses
- a history of heart valve disease
- a long history of high blood pressure
How will I know if my heart is failing?
The main symptom of heart failure is breathlessness. This can be manifested by a reduction in your normal exercise tolerance, ie, you become breathless doing activities that you were able to previously do. It also includes symptoms of breathlessness when laying down flat or waking in the night gasping for breath. Ankle or leg swelling may also be a sign of heart failure.
How can I prevent heart failure?
It is hugely important to seek medical advice if you notice any of the symptoms that have been outlined above. Symptoms that are of particular concern are those of breathlessness at night, ie, when laying down flat or waking in the night gasping for breath. These should be assessed by a medical professional with the aid of some diagnostic tests such as blood tests (including an NT-pro BNP blood test) and potentially ultrasound scans of the heart (called an echocardiogram). Once a diagnosis has been established, and the underlying cause has been determined, the appropriate treatments can then be given to reduce the symptoms.
Is heart failure curable?
There are some very effective treatment options available. It is dependent on the underlying cause for heart failure. For example, there are a range of drugs available that can help improve and even restore heart function to normal if the underlying cause of heart failure is due to a reduced function of the pump of the heart. Equally, if there is a problem with one of the heart valves causing symptoms, replacement of the valve either with an operation or a key-hole procedure can improve the efficiency of the heart.
What measures can be taken to reduce the severity of one's heart failure?
The first step is to establish the underlying diagnosis. Once the cause of the heart failure has been established, there are number of measures that can be taken to reduce its impact. Lifestyle measures such as abstaining from excess alcohol or recreational drug use may play a part if that is felt to be a contributory factor.
If there is evidence of fluid retention, either in the form of swelling in the legs or fluid on the lungs, water tablets (diuretics) are effective at removing the fluid from the body. This can also be supported by restricting fluid and excessive salt intake. The remaining treatment is dependent on the underlying cause. This can be in the form of appropriate drug therapy, surgical or key-hole (percutaneous) procedures or the implantation of pacemaker-like devices to help improve heart function.
Book an appointment with Dr Paramjit Jeetley today by visiting his Top Doctors profile if you feel as though you are suffering from some or all of the symptoms mentioned in the article above.
