The heart’s function is to pump blood through the blood vessels of the body up to the last tributaries and bring back blood from the body to the heart, the main pumping station. When the heart fails to pump blood adequately, enough to meet the requirements of the body, heart failure is said to occur.
It may be due to lack or occlusion of blood supply to the heart known as ischemic heart disease. Hypertension, when uncontrolled, may lead to changes in its heart muscles. Heart muscle disease of specific causes like viral myocarditis (inflammation of heart muscle) and rheumatic carditis (inflammation of the heart or its surroundings) followed by defects in valves of the heart are known causes of heart failure.
The presentations of heart failure are dependent on the onset, pathogenesis and extent of damage to tissues of myocardium (muscles of heart).
Difficulty in breathing
Cough with or without blood spitting
Swelling of legs
Requiring more pillows during lying flat to get relieve from breathlessness are usual complaints of patients.
Suspected patients of heart failure should undergo the following investigations.
ECG, Chest X-Ray, Echocardiography, Liver and Renal functions.
Bed rest is important for acute deterioration of heart failure. Fluid intake restriction (as advised by the physicians). Salt preserves fluid so restriction will help decreasing heart’s workload. Commencing physical activity as prescribed will benefit the cardiac function. Drugs like Diuretics, Dilators (eg ACE inhibitors), Digoxin, Beta blockers etc are used.