What is heart failure?

Heart failure is the inability of the heart to supply oxygenated blood to the body tissues, which in turn causes poor circulation in those tissues. Some symptoms are a reduced exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and in severe cases a buildup of fluid in the extremities and in the lungs that can make breathing difficult even at rest.
There are two common types of heart failure. One caused by a weakened heart muscle and failure of the heart muscle to pump enough blood through the body. This type of heart failure is called a systolic dysfunction. The other type of heart failure is a problem with the filling of the chambers of the heart leading to very high pressures, a stiff heart muscle, and backing up of the blood into the lungs. This type of heart failure is called diastolic dysfunction. Some of the factors that contribute to heart failure are longstanding coronary artery disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In some people, heart failure can be caused by excessive alcohol intake, infections, or inherited conditions of the heart muscle.

What are the treatments for heart failure?

Treatment of heart disease is extensive but it is part of the routine care we provide at Zambito Heart Center. There are many different types of medicines to treat the different type and aspects of heart failure. They include: beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, aldosterone blockers and sometimes nitrates and medications that relax the arteries of the body. There are also indirect medical treatments such as: cholesterol-lowering therapies and blood thinners to prevent clots in the heart. Procedures that open up the blood circulation of the heart such as angioplasty and bypass can help improve heart performance, as well. Finally, cardiovascular exercise is also a part of the improvement of heart failure patients. Strengthening the rest of the muscles of the body helps decrease stress on the heart during activity.

There are also a variety of implantable devices that can help regulate and improve the hearts performance when it is unable to function correctly on its own. Some of these devices are: