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What can go wrong with the heart?

Heart Failure

The term "heart failure" sounds as if the heart is no longer working at all and there's nothing

that can be done. Actually, heart failure means that the heart isn't pumping as well as it

should be.

Your body depends on the heart's pumping action to deliver oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood

to the body's cells. When the cells are nourished properly, the body can function normally.

With heart failure, the weakened heart can't supply the cells with enough blood, when this

happens excess fluid builds up in your lungs and in the tissues throughout your body, you

feel tired and become short of breath, your legs and ankles may become swollen. Everyday

activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries can become very difficult.

Heart failure is chronic, and progressive, the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to

meet the body's needs for blood and oxygen. Basically, the heart can't keep up with its

workload.

At first the heart tries to make up for this by:

Enlarging. As the heart chamber gets bigger, it stretches more and contracts more

strongly, so it pumps more blood.

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Developing more muscle. The increase in muscle mass happens because the

contracting cells of the heart get bigger. This lets the heart pump more strongly, at

least in the beginning of the disease.

Pumping faster. This helps to increase the heart's output.

The body also compensates in other ways:

The blood vessels become narrower to increase the blood pressure up, trying to make

up for the heart's loss of power.

The body diverts blood away from less important tissues and organs to maintain flow

to the most important organs, the heart and brain.

These temporary measures mask the problem of heart failure for a while, but they don't solve

the problem. Heart failure continues and worsens until these substitute measures no longer

work.

Eventually the heart and body just can't keep up, and the person experiences the fatigue,

breathing problems or other symptoms that usually cause a trip to the doctor.

The body's compensation mechanisms help explain why some people may not become

aware of their condition until years after their heart begins its decline. (It's also a good reason

to have a regular checkup with your doctor.)

Heart failure can involve the heart's left side, right side or both sides. However, it usually

affects the left side first

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Heart failure is a serious condition, and usually there's no cure. But many people with heart

failure lead a full, enjoyable life when the condition is managed with heart failure

medications and healthy lifestyle changes. It's also helpful to have the support of family and

friends who understand your condition.

Common symptoms of Heart failure

Sign or Symptom People with Heart Failure May

Experience...

Why It Happens

Shortness of breath ,

unable to breath when

lying flat

Shortness of breath during activity,

at rest, or while sleeping, which may

come on suddenly and wake you up.

You may have difficulty breathing

while lying flat and may need to prop

up the upper body and head on two

pillows. waking up tired or feeling

anxious and restless.

Blood backs up in the vessels

that return blood from the lungs

to the heart causing fluid to leak

into the lungs.

coughing or wheezing coughing that produces white or pink

blood-tinged mucus.

Fluid builds up in the lungs.

Swelling of legs,

ankles,feet (edema),

weight gain

Excess fluid builds up in the feet,

ankles, legs or abdomen or weight

gain. Your shoes feel tight.

As blood flow out of the heart

slows, blood returning to the

heart through the veins backs

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up, causing fluid to build up in

the tissues. The kidneys are

less able to get rid of salt and

water which causing fluid

retention in the body

Tiredness, fatigue,

weakness

A tired feeling all the time and

difficulty with everyday activities,

such as, shopping,climbing stairs, or

walking.

The heart can't pump enough

blood to meet the needs of body

tissues. The body diverts blood

away from less vital organs,

such as muscles in the arms

and legs, and sends it to the

heart and brain.

Loss of appetite,

nausea

A feeling of being full or sick to your

stomach.

The digestive system receives

less blood, causing problems

with digestion.

Confusion, memory

loss, impaired thinking

Memory loss and feelings of

disorientation. *Others may notice

this before you dot.

Changing levels of certain

substances in the blood, such

as sodium, can cause

confusion.

Heart palpitations, Heart

racing, irregular heart

beat

Heart palpitations, which feel like

your heart is racing or throbbing.

To compensate up for the loss

in its ability to pump, the heart

beats faster.

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Heart attack

Your heart muscle needs oxygen to survive. A heart attack occurs when the blood flow that

brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely. This happens

because the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood become narrowed or blocked

from a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances that together are called plaque. This

process is very slow and happens over a prolonged period of time. When a plaque in a heart

artery breaks, a blood clot forms around the plaque. The blood clot can block the blood flow

through the heart muscle and the heart muscle is starved for oxygen and nutrients resulting in

damage or death of part of the heart muscle. Heart attacks usually occur over a period of 4-6

hours. With each minute more heart tissue is damaged or dies. The only way to help the

individual suffering a heart attack is to restore blood flow before too much damage is done.

Heart attack symptoms in women, the elderly and people with diabetes tend to be less

pronounced. About every 34 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack.

People that die from heart attacks usually die within the first hour after symptoms start. If you

suspect that someone might be having a heart attack, call 911 immediately

Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that

lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like

uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

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Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include Pain spreading

beyond the chest to the shoulders, one or both arms, the back, neck and sometimes to

the teeth and jaw

Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

Pain in the upper abdomen that lasts for more than a few minutes (sometimes people

think they are having indigestion or heartburn)

Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing

Intense sweating

Fainting, unsteadiness, lightheadedness

Nausea and vomiting

Confusion

Sense of anxiety or impending doom

Causes and risk factors of heart failure and heart attacks

The main causes of heart failure are the same things that can cause heart attacks, such as

smoking, eating fatty foods, not exercising, and being overweight. Other causes include birth

defects and viruses that damage the heart valves or muscles. Someone who experiences a

heart attack will often develop heart failure because part of the heart muscle has been

damaged, making the heart work harder.

Major risk factors of heart failure and heart attacks

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High blood pressure

High blood cholesterol levels

Smoking

Lack of exercise

Obesity

Diabetes

Stress

Alcohol

Family history

Abnormal heart valves

Coronary artery disease

Heart muscle disease

Congenital heart disease

Severe lung disease

Major risk factors that can’t be changed:

The risk factors on this list are ones you're born with and cannot be changed. The more of

these risk factors you have, the greater your chance of developing heart disease. Since you

can't do anything about these risk factors, it's even more important for you to manage the risk

factors that can be changed

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Family history

Abnormal heart valves

Increasing age

Congenital heart disease

Male Sex

Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do, and they have attacks earlier in life. Even

after menopause, when women's death rate from heart disease increases, it's not as great as men's.

Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves. African Americans

have more severe high blood pressure than Caucasians and a higher risk of heart disease. Heart

disease risk is also higher among Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some

Asian Americans. This is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. Most people with a strong

family history of heart disease have one or more other risk factors. Just as you can't control your age,

sex and race, you can't control your family history. Therefore, it's even more important to treat and

control any other risk factors you have.

Guidelines for a healthy heart

1. Eat a variety of foods.

2. Regular physical activity.

3. Maintain a healthy

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4. Limit salt intake

5. Eat foods low in fat and cholesterol.

6. Limit sugar intake.

7. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.

8. If you drink alcohol, consume no more than one drink per day.

9. Do not smoke.

10. Monitor blood pressure and keep it within healthy limits (less than 140 systolic and 90 diastolic

for most people, or 140/90).

11. Regular medical check up