What women should know about heart failure

Have you heard of heart failure? It is not a heart attack. But both forms of heart disease.

A heart attack is when the blood flow to the heart suddenly decreases or blocks. Heart failure occurs when the heart does not derive blood properly. And affects almost 3 million women a year.

Understanding this situation can help you find out if you are at risk – and what you can do about it.

The risks of heart failure

Heart failure, which usually occurs over time, as heart muscles become weaker, can lead to many serious problems, such as:

• Kidney damage
• Hepatic damage
• Irregular heartbeat
• Sudden heart attack
• Malnutrition
• Breathing problems

The causes of heart failure

Anything that hurts the heart or makes it work very hard can lead to heart failure.

This includes health conditions such as:

• Blocked blood vessels (coronary heart disease)
• Infection in the heart muscle. (Endocarditis)
• Older heart attack (myocardial infarction)
• Heart problems with which they are born (congenital heart defects)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Kidney disease
• Low number of red blood cells (severe anemia)
• Overactive or sub -active thyroid (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism)
• Heart that is very fast, very slow or irregular (arrhythmia or dysfunction)
• Some viruses, such as herpes virus or flu

Lifestyle factors can also increase the risk of heart failure. Some of them are:

• Smoking
• I don’t get enough exercise
• Portliness
• Eating foods high in fat and cholesterol

To women – especially women who are postmenopausal – the most common causes heart failure includes:

• High blood pressure
• Heart valve
• Diabetes
• Coronary heart

Types of heart failure

Heart failure groups in Three main categories.

Left -sided heart failure occurs when the left side of the heart must work harder to pump the same amount of blood. There are two types of left -sided heart failure:

• Systolic deficiency (also called heart failure with reduced extrusion fraction or HFref), when the left lower chamber (abdomen) cannot be tightened normally
• Diastolic deficiency (also called heart failure with a preserved extrusion fraction or HFPEF), when the left lower chamber (abdomen) cannot relax as it should

Right side heart failure usually occurs due to the failure of the left. When the left side of the heart cannot derive enough blood, the accumulation of pressure can damage the right side.

Concomitant heart failure occurs when the blood returns to the heart through your veins, causing fluid collection. This can lead to edema (edema) throughout the body, including lungs (pulmonary edema). This can make it difficult to breathe.

Concomitant heart failure can also keep the kidneys get rid of sodium and water, which can make swelling even worse.

Signs and symptoms of heart failure

For some people, the symptoms of heart failure come slowly. For others, it may be suddenly.

Symptoms of heart failure may include:

• Shortness of breath
• I feel tired or weak
• Quick or irregular heartbeat
• Swelling (edema) on ankles, legs and legs
• Belly swelling
• Wheezing
• Coughing that won’t go away
• Upset stomach/loss of appetite/nausea
• Memory loss, feeling disoriented, confusion
• Sudden weight gain or loss

If you experience any of these symptoms, be sure to check them with a HCP provider (HCP).

Diagnosis of heart failure

Heart failure is diagnosed using a combination of tools. First, an HCP will ask about your medical history, including any life or lifestyle options that may increase the risk of heart failure.

Your HCP will also ask how you feel. (It’s a good idea to bring a list of symptoms when you see a HCP for your heart, along with a list of your medicines.)

Then your HCP will give you a physical exam and decide which tests you will order. (They may also send you to a cardiologist, a heart -focused doctor.)

Some testing used to diagnose heart failure is:

• Blood tests for control for certain molecules rising during heart failure

• Echocardiography (echo) to measure how much blood pumped from your left ventricle (extrusion fraction)

• Other Imaging Tests, such as chest radiography, ct scan or magnetic resonance imaging to see how well your heart works

• Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) to test your heart electrical activity

• Pressure test to see how your heart handles exercise

Treatment of heart failure

The treatment of heart failure depends on what causes and how serious it is. Heart failure cannot be cured, so the goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Fortunately, the list of drugs used to treat heart failure is high. Medicines may include:

• Angiotensin Converting Inhibitors (ACE) and Angiotensin II (ARBS) receptor inhibitors (ARBS),

• Angiotensin Neuropsy Inhibitors (ARNIS), which is the combination of two drugs for blood pressure and can be used to expand blood vessels, reduce blood pressure and reduce pressure on the heart

• Beta Blockers, who keep the heart beating very quickly or hard

• Diuretics (water pills), which help the body get rid of extra liquid
• Cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) sodium-glycose (SGLT2) inhibitors, which help reduce blood sugar and are often used as one of the first treatments in heart failure

• Aldosterone competitors (also called potassium diuretics), which are water pills that help reduce high blood pressure and improve cardiac function in people with heart failure

People with heart failure often need more than one medication.

Devices that may be useful for people with heart failure include:

• Cartiac Resyncronition The Defibrillator Therapy (CRT-D)-A device that sends signals to the inferior chambers of the heart to help synchronize your left and right ventricle
• Vetricular Assist Device (VAD), a device that helps the blood of the heart pump and is most often mounted on the lower left chamber

Surgery is not always necessary for managing the condition. However, there may be cases where some surgeries may be needed, such as surgery to cleanse the blocked arteries, correct a defect in the heart valve, or repeat blood flow to the heart. Heart transplantation may be required for people who cannot be helped by other treatments.

Living with heart failure

Changing your lifestyle can also help you maintain the symptoms of heart failure under control. It’s a way you can be preventive for your treatment and small bites can make a big difference. Lifestyle changes may include:

• Keeping a healthy weight

• Keeping your blood sugar under control if you have diabetes
• Time Remove for rest, relaxation and stress management

• Enhance your heart with physical activity

• Eating heart healthy foods such as vegetables and whole grains

• Abandonment of smoking
• Avoiding or limiting alcohol intake
• Protection of yourself from flu, pneumonia and covid with vaccines

A healthcare provider can also suggest cardiac detoxification, which includes counseling and training, training for healthy life and anxiety management counseling.

Along with your HCP, you can calculate a treatment plan that will allow you to live your best life with heart failure.

This educational resource was created with support fromM Novartis.