Causes of heart failure:
coronary artery disease
valvular heart disease
hypertension
diabetes mellitus
abnormal heart rhythms
substance abuse
Treatments for heart failure
Heart failure can cause symptoms and make you feel ill. It can cause dangerous, even life-
threatening complications. Left untreated, heart failure generally is a progressive condition. The
goal of treatments for heart failure is to reduce symptoms, reduce the chance of developing
complications and slow or stop the progression of the underlying process.
Medications:
Medicines are often used to treat heart failure symptoms; some medicines have
even been proven to prolong life.
Diet and lifestyle management:
These changes include limiting salt and water intake, weighing yourself daily,
controlling weight, stopping smoking, limiting alcohol, as well as exercising
possibly in a cardiac rehab program
Heart rhythm treatment:
Medications are sometimes used.
A pacemaker may be used to help coordinate the electrical signals between the
ventricles allowing them to pump together. This is called cardiac
resynchronization therapy, or CRT.
An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator or ICD may be used to shock the heart to
stop a deadly arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). It does not, however improve
heart function or relieve symptoms of heart failure.
Surgery or stenting:
This may be recommended if the circulation to your heart is poor, or if you have
severe disease of a heart valve.
During the early phases, it is possible that the heart failure symptoms can be controlled with
non-surgical interventions. It is very important to stay compliant with the prescribed plan of
care in order to stay as healthy as possible.
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