Living with Heart Failure
An amazing organ, the heart beats about 70 times a minute (on average) – more than 2.5 billion times over an average lifetime. However, for about 6.7 million Americans diagnosed with heart failure, their heart is often too weak to pump blood as efficiently as it should.1
The leading cause of heart failure is coronary heart disease and multiple “mild” heart attacks can cause severe heart failure. Irregular heartbeat or cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure also often go hand in hand. Cardiac arrhythmia often leads to heart failure or vice versa. This is when the heart doesn’t beat the way it should. It may beat too fast. It may beat too slowly. It may skip beats. It may beat at the right speed, but pound like a sledgehammer. It may do any or all of these things, then settle down as if nothing were wrong. This can be a serious, life-threatening event, or it can be an inconvenience that interrupts the activities of daily living.1
Other causes of heart failure include high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, high cholesterol levels, a sedentary lifestyle, alcohol and drug abuse, certain infectious diseases, congenital heart disease, heart valve damage and some genetic disorders. Since some factors like age and family history cannot be controlled, it is important to focus on the factors that can be controlled.1
For someone experiencing symptoms of heart failure, a primary care provider may order a diagnostic test like an echocardiogram or make a referral to a cardiologist. Beyond this there are several other screenings that can help diagnose heart conditions such as computed tomography (CT), EKG and stress echocardiogram testing.
Watauga Medical Center has a state-of-the-art cardiac cath lab available 24/7 that allows cardiologists to diagnose problems with the heart and its blood vessels and can reveal a wide array of potentially dangerous conditions, including coronary artery disease. Cardiologists at the Heart & Vascular Center also offer a comprehensive line of electrophysiology (EP) services and procedures.
Can heart failure be managed?
Heart failure is serious but it is not a death sentence and can be controlled and managed with the help of your provider. The Heart & Vascular Center provides a “one-stop shop” where patients can receive all phases of care – from initial assessments and diagnosis to treatment, medication management and device therapy – all under one roof.
The Appalachian Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program also helps with prevention and recovery from heart problems by focusing on creating healthy lifestyles. The program features help with exercise, dietary changes and other lifestyle improvements.
Your best source of information is your doctor. If you are concerned about your risk factors or believe you may be developing early symptoms, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider. Be sure to write down your questions and take them with you. It’s also good to take a family member or friend to help you remember what the doctor says.
1 https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/heart-failure.html
