How long can a person live with congestive heart failure. What factors influence the life expectancy of individuals with CHF. How does the prognosis vary across different stages of heart failure. What treatment options are available for managing congestive heart failure.

Understanding Congestive Heart Failure and Its Impact on Life Expectancy

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic condition that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. While it can be a serious diagnosis, the prognosis for individuals with CHF can vary significantly based on numerous factors. This article delves into the complexities of living with CHF, exploring life expectancy, prognostic factors, and available treatment options.

CHF occurs when the heart muscles weaken and can no longer pump blood efficiently throughout the body. This can lead to a range of health complications and symptoms that impact a person’s quality of life. However, with proper management and treatment, many individuals with CHF can lead fulfilling lives and, in some cases, achieve a near-normal life expectancy.

Factors Influencing CHF Prognosis

The outlook for someone diagnosed with congestive heart failure depends on various factors. These include:

• Age at diagnosis
• Underlying cause of CHF
• Alcohol consumption habits
• Gender
• Stage of CHF at diagnosis
• Heart’s ejection fraction
• Frequency of hospitalizations due to CHF symptoms
• Presence of comorbidities
• Response to treatment
• Adherence to treatment plan

Each of these factors can significantly influence an individual’s prognosis. For instance, younger patients typically have a better outlook compared to older individuals diagnosed with CHF. Additionally, early diagnosis and prompt treatment can lead to more favorable outcomes.

Life Expectancy and Prognosis Across Different Stages of CHF

The stage at which CHF is diagnosed plays a crucial role in determining life expectancy. Generally, earlier stages of CHF are associated with better prognoses when proper management strategies are implemented.

Early-Stage CHF Prognosis

When CHF is detected in its early stages and managed effectively, patients can often expect a significantly better outlook. In some cases, individuals whose CHF is discovered and treated promptly may achieve a life expectancy close to that of the general population.

Advanced-Stage CHF Prognosis

As CHF progresses to more advanced stages, the prognosis typically becomes less favorable. However, it’s important to note that even in advanced stages, proper treatment and management can help improve quality of life and potentially extend life expectancy.

The Role of Ejection Fraction in CHF Prognosis

Ejection fraction (EF) is a crucial measure used to assess heart function in CHF patients. It represents the percentage of blood pumped out of the heart with each contraction. A healthy heart typically has an EF between 55% and 75%.

Research has shown that individuals with CHF and a reduced EF often face a more challenging prognosis compared to those with preserved EF. While exact survival rates vary among studies, all indicate that EF significantly impacts the overall outlook for CHF patients.

Understanding Reduced Ejection Fraction

A reduced EF means the heart is pumping less blood to the body than normal. This can lead to more severe symptoms and complications associated with CHF. Patients with reduced EF may require more aggressive treatment strategies to manage their condition effectively.

Age-Related Prognosis in Congestive Heart Failure

Age plays a significant role in determining the prognosis for individuals with CHF. Generally, younger patients tend to have more favorable outcomes compared to older individuals diagnosed with the condition.

Survival Rates by Age Group

A comprehensive report analyzing multiple studies found that:

• People under 65 years old had an average 5-year survival rate of 78.8% following CHF diagnosis.
• Individuals over 75 years old had an average 5-year survival rate of 49.5% after diagnosis.

These statistics highlight the impact of age on CHF prognosis. However, it’s crucial to remember that individual cases can vary significantly based on other factors such as overall health, treatment response, and the presence of additional medical conditions.

Comprehensive Treatment Options for Congestive Heart Failure

Managing CHF effectively requires a tailored approach based on individual patient factors. Treatment strategies aim to improve heart function, reduce symptoms, and enhance quality of life. The most appropriate treatment plan depends on factors such as overall health, the presence of other medical conditions, response to medications, and the stage of CHF.

Pharmacological Interventions

Several medications can be used to manage CHF symptoms and improve heart function:

1. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors: These medications may be prescribed for patients with both CHF and type 2 diabetes to protect kidney and heart function.
2. Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI): A combination of sacubitril and valsartan, ARNI can help reduce high blood pressure in CHF patients.
3. Verquovo: This guanylate cyclase stimulator has shown promise in reducing mortality rates associated with heart failure.
4. I(f) channel blockers (ivabradine): These medications can help alleviate CHF symptoms by lowering heart rate.
5. Spironolactone (MRAs): Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists are sometimes used to manage hypertension in treatment-resistant cases.
6. Beta-blockers and other heart medications: These drugs, including ACE inhibitors and ARBs, can improve the heart’s pumping efficiency.
7. Diuretics: Also known as water pills, these medications help reduce fluid retention in the body.
8. Nitrates: These drugs can help alleviate chest pain associated with CHF.
9. Blood thinners: Anticoagulant medications may be prescribed to prevent blood clots, a common complication in CHF patients.

Surgical Interventions

In some cases, surgical procedures may be necessary to manage CHF effectively:

• Coronary bypass surgery: This procedure may be recommended for patients whose CHF is caused by clogged arteries. It involves using healthy arteries from other parts of the body to bypass the blocked coronary arteries.
• Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD): This device can be surgically implanted to monitor heart rhythm and deliver electrical shocks when necessary to correct irregular heartbeats.

Lifestyle Modifications for Managing Congestive Heart Failure

In addition to medical treatments, lifestyle changes play a crucial role in managing CHF and improving overall prognosis. These modifications can help reduce symptoms, prevent complications, and enhance quality of life for individuals living with CHF.

Dietary Changes

Adopting a heart-healthy diet is essential for CHF patients. This typically involves:

• Reducing sodium intake to help manage fluid retention
• Limiting alcohol consumption
• Increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Choosing lean proteins and healthy fats
• Monitoring fluid intake as recommended by a healthcare provider

Regular Exercise

Physical activity, when approved by a healthcare provider, can significantly benefit CHF patients. Regular exercise can help:

• Strengthen the heart muscle
• Improve circulation
• Enhance overall cardiovascular health
• Reduce stress and improve mood

It’s crucial for CHF patients to work closely with their healthcare team to develop an appropriate exercise plan tailored to their individual needs and limitations.

Monitoring and Managing CHF Symptoms

Effective management of CHF requires vigilant monitoring of symptoms and regular communication with healthcare providers. Patients should be aware of key symptoms that may indicate worsening of their condition, such as:

• Increased shortness of breath
• Sudden weight gain due to fluid retention
• Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet
• Persistent coughing or wheezing
• Fatigue or weakness
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat

Keeping a symptom journal and regularly checking weight can help patients track their condition and provide valuable information to their healthcare team.

Emotional and Psychological Aspects of Living with CHF

Living with a chronic condition like CHF can take a toll on an individual’s emotional and mental well-being. It’s common for patients to experience feelings of anxiety, depression, or frustration. Addressing these psychological aspects is crucial for overall health and quality of life.

Coping Strategies

Several strategies can help individuals cope with the emotional challenges of living with CHF:

• Joining support groups to connect with others facing similar challenges
• Seeking professional counseling or therapy
• Practicing stress-reduction techniques such as meditation or deep breathing exercises
• Engaging in hobbies and activities that bring joy and relaxation
• Maintaining social connections and a strong support network

By addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of CHF, patients can work towards achieving a better quality of life and potentially improving their overall prognosis.

Advances in CHF Research and Future Treatment Prospects

The field of cardiology is continuously evolving, with ongoing research aimed at improving treatments and outcomes for CHF patients. Several promising areas of study are currently underway, offering hope for enhanced management strategies and potentially improved prognoses in the future.

Gene Therapy

Researchers are exploring the potential of gene therapy to treat CHF by targeting specific genetic factors that contribute to heart muscle weakness. This approach aims to enhance the heart’s ability to pump blood more effectively.

Stem Cell Therapy

Studies investigating the use of stem cells to regenerate damaged heart tissue show promise. While still in experimental stages, this approach could potentially offer new hope for patients with advanced CHF.

Novel Drug Therapies

Pharmaceutical companies continue to develop new medications targeting various aspects of heart failure. These include drugs that improve heart muscle contraction, reduce inflammation, and enhance the body’s ability to eliminate excess fluid.

Artificial Intelligence in CHF Management

The integration of AI and machine learning in healthcare is opening new avenues for personalized CHF management. These technologies can help predict disease progression, optimize treatment plans, and improve early detection of complications.

As research progresses, individuals living with CHF can look forward to potentially more effective treatments and management strategies that could further improve life expectancy and quality of life.

Life Expectancy and Outlook by Stage

If you have congestive heart failure, your life expectancy can depend on multiple factors, including your age and stage at diagnosis, heart function, and overall health.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition that occurs when the muscles of your heart are no longer able to pump blood effectively. This can lead to a variety of other health problems.

Sometimes referred to simply as heart failure, CHF is a long-term condition that can get worse over time. However, treatment can slow, stabilize, or improve the condition. Let’s discuss how the prognosis and survival rate can vary.

There are many factors affecting the outlook for CHF, your doctor will have the most information on your specific situation.

Some of the major factors generally affecting CHF outlook include:

• age at diagnosis
• why you have CHF
• alcohol use
• gender
• stage at diagnosis
• your heart’s ejection fraction
• how many times you’re hospitalized for CHF symptoms
• whether you have any other medical conditions
• how well you respond to treatment
• how well you follow your treatment plan

According to older research published in 2008, there’s a higher risk of CHF in African American individuals compared with white and Hispanic individuals when hypertension and diabetes, as well as social and economic factors, are present.

Prognosis at each stage

The outlook for CHF varies greatly between people, as there are many contributing factors for every individual’s situation. However, generally speaking, if CHF is discovered in its earlier stages and properly managed, you can expect a far better outlook than if it’s discovered much later.

Some people whose CHF is discovered early and treated promptly and effectively can hope to have a nearly standard life expectancy.

Prognosis by ejection fraction

Ejection fraction (EF) is a measure of how much blood is pumped out of your heart each time it contracts. A healthy heart has an EF of between about 55 percent to 75 percent.

Some people with CHF have a reduced EF. This means their heart is pumping less blood out to the rest of their body than a healthy heart. Studies have shown that people who have CHF and a reduced EF have a more challenging outlook than people with CHF who do not have a reduced EF.

The exact survival rates varied among studies, but all studies have shown that EF has an impact on prognosis. Your doctor will have the best information about how your ejection fraction can affect your prognosis.

Prognosis at different ages

In general, younger people diagnosed with CHF tend to have a better outlook than older people.

A report averaging several smaller studies found that people under age 65 generally had a 5-year survival rate of 78.8 percent following CHF diagnosis. The same report found that people over age 75 had an average 5-year survival rate of 49.5 percent following diagnosis.

Older people diagnosed with CHF may already have other chronic health conditions. This can make it difficult to manage CHF and create a more challenging outlook for them.

There are several treatment options for congestive heart failure. The treatment that’s best for you will depend on:

• your overall health
• any other health conditions you have
• how you respond to any medications
• what stage of CHF you have

Common options include:

• Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. SGLT2 inhibitors may be used if you also have type 2 diabetes to help protect your kidney and heart function.
• Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI). ARNI is a combination of two other drugs (sacubitril and valsartan) and can reduce high blood pressure.
• Verquovo. This is a guanylate cyclase stimulator that has been shown to decrease the chance of death from heart failure.
• I(f) channel blockers (ivabradine). They can help reduce heart failure symptoms by lowering the heart rate.
• Spironolactone (MRAs). MRAs are sometimes used to treat hypertension when your conditions are resistant to other treatments.
• Beta-blockers and other heart medications. Medications like beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) can help your heart pump more blood.
• Diuretic medications (water pills). Diuretics can help your body retain less water. Commonly used diuretics include bumetanide, furosemide, and toresemide.
• Nitrates. Nitrates are a type of medication that can help reduce chest pain.
• Blood thinnners. Blood thiners are medication that can help prevent blood clots.
• Coronary bypass surgery. CHF can occur because your arteries are clogged. In this case, you might have coronary bypass surgery, which removes parts of healthy arteries from other parts of your body, such as your legs, and connects them to the damaged arteries around your heart.
• Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). An ICD is similar to a pacemaker. It’s implanted in your chest and monitors your heart’s rhythm. If your heart falls into a dangerous rhythm, the ICD can shock it back to a healthy one.
• Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). A CRT device helps the chambers of your heart work together. It can be used with an ICD to keep your heart in rhythm.
• A left ventricular assisted device (LVAD). LVADs are pumps that help increase the heart’s ability to squeeze. They’re sometimes used for end stage heart failure.
• A heart transplant. A heart transplant can be a solution to CHF. However, in certain situations, an older person may not be considered a good candiate for a transplant. In these cases, an LVAD would not offer a permanent solution.

There are lifestyle changes a person with CHF can make that have been shown to help slow the condition’s progression. Talk with your doctor before making changes to your diet or starting an exercise routine.

Diet

Sodium causes fluid retention to increase within the body’s tissues. A low sodium diet is often recommended for people with CHF.

It’s also advisable to restrict your alcohol consumption and caffeine intake as both substances can affect your heart muscle, causing weakness.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting coffee intake to no more than two cups and limiting alcohol to no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.

Exercise

Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve the heart’s overall ability to function, which supports a better quality of life and potentially increases life expectancy.

Your healthcare team can help you plan exercise programs tailored to your individual needs and tolerance levels.

Fluid restriction

People with CHF are often advised to regulate their fluid intake, which affects the overall fluid retained within the body. People taking diuretic medication to eliminate excess fluid can counteract the effects of this medication if they’re consuming too much fluid.

People with more advanced cases of CHF are usually advised to limit their overall fluid intake to 2 quarts.

Weight monitoring

An increase in body weight is an early sign of fluid accumulation. People with CHF are advised to monitor their weight closely. If you have gained 2–3 pounds in as many days, call your doctor.

They may want to increase your dose of diuretics to manage the fluid accumulation before it becomes more severe.

Quit smoking

Smoking is hard on your heart. It can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. People who quit smoking often see an improvement in their CHF symptoms.

Clothing choices

Very tight clothing, especially worn on your legs, can increase the risk of blood clots, so it’s best to limit this type of legwear if you have CHF.

Try to avoid getting overly hot in your clothes or wearing clothes that won’t keep you warm enough. Dressing in layers that you can remove or carrying items like sweaters or hoodies with you can be a good idea.

Take care of your mental health too

While stress is never pleasant, it can be especially hard on your heart. Anger management is also an important aspect of heart health.

Talking with a therapist or joining a support group can help with keeping your stress levels down and giving you accountability for the lifestyle changes you’re making.

Was this helpful?

The outlook for those with CHF varies incredibly. It largely depends on what stage of the condition you’re in and whether you have other health conditions.

Younger people may also have a more promising outlook. Lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery can greatly improve your condition. Talk with your healthcare team to determine what the best treatment plan is for you.

Heart Failure and Life Expectancy

Written by Charlotte Huff

• What Determines Life Expectancy?

If you learn that you have heart failure, don’t let the name mislead you. Your heart hasn’t failed. Rather, you have a condition in which your heart has trouble pumping oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body.

“That can result in a backup of fluid into the lungs and congestion in the lungs, causing shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue, as well as the backup of fluid elsewhere in the body,” says Brent Lampert, DO, a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.

Depending on how serious your heart failure is, you may notice swelling in your ankles and legs. Your heart may beat faster than usual, or its rhythm may not be as regular. Your stomach may swell, and you could lose your appetite.

It’s a serious diagnosis. But doctors have learned a lot about how to treat heart failure with close care, often including a combination of prescription drugs that provides the most relief from symptoms.

And life expectancy is on the rise: Roughly half of people diagnosed today can expect to live at least 5 more years, compared with 41% in 2000, according to one study.

Special calculators offer an estimate of your life expectancy with heart failure. With one online tool, the Seattle Heart Failure Model, you can put in your lab results and the type of treatment you’re getting to project your odds.

But keep in mind that such calculators are based on large groups of people and may not include the latest research, says Gregg Fonarow, MD, a cardiologist who directs the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center in Los Angeles.

“Even the most accurate risk models aren’t going to get it right for most individuals,” Fonarow says. “The best thing is talk to your physician, who can help you interpret all over your risk factors, rather than trying to figure out your risk on your own.”

Some things that affect your life expectancy with heart failure are out of your control, such as your age. Others, such as a healthy lifestyle, are not.

Things that may affect life expectancy include:

Ejection fraction. To get a better picture of your heart health, your doctor will check how well an area of your heart called the left ventricle pumps out blood. An echocardiogram is one test that’s often used. It scans the heart and takes measurements to find out what percentage of your blood is being pumped out with each heartbeat. For instance, an ejection fraction of 55% means that 55% of your blood is being pushed out with each thump. A normal result usually falls between 50% and 70%, according to the American Heart Association.

People with a reduced ejection fraction have one type of the condition. It’s called heart failure with reduced left ventricular function. With the other type, heart failure with preserved left ventricular function, the percentage isn’t below normal. But there are other changes, such as the heart becoming stiffer. “After the heart squeezes and pumps blood forward, it has to relax to fill with blood,” Lampert says. “When the heart muscle is stiff or unable to relax as blood is trying to rush in and fill it, it’s not very compliant, and so you can get that same results of fluid backing up into the lungs and other parts of the body.”

If your heart failure involves a reduced ejection fraction, your doctor will watch that number closely. If it drops too low, to 35% or below, you have a higher risk of a possibly life-threatening heart rhythm.

Staging. There are four stages of heart failure, which indicate how serious your condition may be.

• Stage A: You don’t have full heart failure, but you have some risk factors. You may have a family member with heart failure. Or you may have other medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, alcohol abuse, diabetes, or heart disease.
• Stage B: Tests show that your heart has had some damage, but you don’t notice any symptoms. Most likely, you had a below-normal result on a heart function test. Most people with Stage B have an ejection fraction of 40% or less.
• Stage C: You have some symptoms that may come and go, such as tiredness. You may be less able to exercise, have swollen or weak legs, or have shortness of breath.
• Stage D: Your symptoms are more serious and don’t improve with medication and other treatment.

Lifestyle choices. There are things you can do today to improve the quality of your life as well as possibly extend it, Lampert says. Smokersshould try to quit, and he advises bypassing alcohol. “I generally advise people to avoid it.”

Stay as active as possible under a doctor’s direction or with a cardiac program, Lampert says. Follow recommendations to limit sodium and how much fluid you drink.

Even these small dietary steps may have a large impact, Lampert says.

“One factor that is associated with a shorter length of life is recurrent hospitalizations,” he says. “Every time you are hospitalized, life expectancy shortens. If you can control fluid and sodium and stay out of the hospital, that can certainly help both quality and quantity of life.”

Keeping up with medications. This might seem obvious, but both Lampert and Fonarow stress the importance of not skipping your meds. You will probably need to take several medications for your heart failure. They may have side effects, and how well they work may change as your condition changes.

“When you do develop symptoms, report those, and stay in close contact with your physician,” Lampert says. “So if you are starting to worsen, they can act on it quickly.”

The good news is that recent research shows that taking a combination of medications for heart failure helps extend life expectancy in people with reduced ejection fraction, Fonarow says. In one study, the medication combination boosted survival by an average of 6 years across all age groups.

“There’s been an important and critical revolution in our ability to diagnose and treat patients with heart failure,” Fonarow says. “Because it’s not been any single one medication alone, but it’s this combination, it has not gotten the attention that it rightly deserves.”

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Heart failure

The heart with “heart failure” does not provide the body with oxygen and nutrients.

Distinguish between acute and chronic heart failure. The disease is often chronic and, contrary to the opinion of many, not “fatal”, that is, often people with this diagnosis live for many years, subject to all the prescriptions of doctors.

Almost a million new cases of the disease are diagnosed in the Russian Federation every year. Half of patients with heart failure live no more than five years, a significant proportion of them die within just one year.

Chronic heart failure develops for a long time and manifests itself in the forms of shortness of breath, fatigue, edema, and others. In acute deficiency, untreated can quickly lead to death.

With heart failure, the work of the heart as a “pump” is difficult. The pump is getting worse. It needs to be either repaired or changed, but in this case it is very difficult and expensive, so we have to support our main organ: this is the treatment of this disease.

The symptoms of the disease are generally those of heart troubles. This is:

• dyspnea,

• cardiopalmus,

• fatigue,

• swelling in the lower extremities,

• general weakness.

In addition, it is often frequent urination and dry cough.

More often the disease develops on the basis of arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, defects and inflammatory diseases of the heart. Its causes are about the same as those of other heart diseases.

Disease stages

1. At the first stage, the disease is noticeable only during physical exertion: shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat.

2. In the second stage, these symptoms already appear with moderate exercise or at rest. This stage is often lengthy.

3. At the third stage, the so-called irreversible or dystrophic, changes occur in the organs that lead to a loss of efficiency.

Treatment involves the use of the following main groups of drugs:

• Diuretics (diuretics).

• ACE inhibitors.

• Beta blockers.

• cardiac glycosides.

• Nitrates: to reduce preload on the heart.

Treatment usually takes place at home.

For patients in the first stage, an examination by a cardiologist is necessary once every half a year, in the second – once every 3 months, in the third stage – once a month. In any case, it is necessary to consult a doctor, he appoints a visiting regimen.

Diet, reducing excess weight, avoiding serious stress, proper treatment, and the absence of other diseases, especially hypertension and diabetes, are important for curbing the disease.

Normal temperature and humidity in the room are important. It is highly desirable to avoid overwork, any stress, to rest as much as possible.

It is recommended to severely limit salt intake. You can’t drink alcohol.

There are special training programs for patients: rational physical activity is also required for this disease.

Alternative methods of treatment are also used, although they do not have sufficient effectiveness, but are still often recommended by doctors.

You can eat more dried fruits, cottage cheese, some herbs, hawthorn, adonis, bean sashes.

And of course you need constant monitoring of the level of pressure.

In the worst situations, surgical methods are used. The most famous among them are the following:

Heart failure is not a “sentence” at all. People live with this disease for many years. It is only necessary to strictly follow all the prescriptions of the doctor.

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How long can you live with congestive heart failure?

Congestive heart failure means that the heart is not pumping well enough and the condition may get worse if you do not try to slow or stop the deterioration process.

Heart failure is a frightening diagnosis. Life does not end there, but it needs to be treated. Congestive heart failure develops when the amount of blood pumped out by the heart decreases. This means that the blood going to the heart through the veins is trapped in the tissues, which manifests itself in the form of swelling in the ankles, legs, abdomen or lungs, resulting in shortness of breath.

Life expectancy with congestive heart failure depends on the severity of the disease, the age of the patient, and other factors. According to estimates (a study published in the journal Circulation Research in August 2013), 50% of people live at least five years from the time they are diagnosed with heart failure, and about 10% live more than 10 years. It is important to note that life expectancy has increased over time due to improved treatment of this disease. Therefore, although there is no cure for heart failure, the prognosis can be greatly improved by controlling the disease with drugs and lifestyle changes.

Stages of heart failure

Stage A – indicates a high risk of more severe disease due to the fact that someone in the family has diabetes, high blood pressure, early coronary heart disease, or a family history of cardiomyopathy – heart disease muscles. Preventive measures include changing diet, limiting salt, alcohol, increasing exercise levels, and, if necessary, taking blood pressure medications or other medications.

Stage B – early stage, the presence of changes that can lead to heart failure. There are no classic symptoms. It is often preceded by a myocardial infarction or valvular heart disease. Treatment includes the measures indicated for stage A, as well as possible surgical interventions to remove the blockage of the coronary arteries or valvular surgery.

Stage C – diagnosed with heart failure, the presence of symptoms: shortness of breath, inability to exercise, swelling of the legs, shortness of breath at rest. With good adherence to the treatment regimen, such patients can have a quality and long life.

Stage D – severe manifestations of the disease. These patients are indicated for heart transplantation or palliative care. Treatment options are discussed by the doctor separately with each patient.

It is very important to seek specialist help at any stage of heart failure. Beforehand, you can write a list of questions to ask the doctor, and it will not be superfluous to come to the appointment with someone from the family members who provides support. Often they can give more information about the symptoms – fatigue, shortness of breath – when the patient himself forgets about them.

Heart failure is a chronic progressive disease, so there is no improvement or regression. However, modern treatment helps to partially reduce symptoms or slow the progression of the disease.

Diseases that can lead to heart failure:

– ischemic heart disease or myocardial infarction

– high blood pressure

– heart valve defects

– damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)

– congenital heart defects

– cardiac arrhythmias

– other chronic diseases (diabetes, HIV, thyroid disease).

Living with heart failure

With this diagnosis, some changes in lifestyle should be made, but this does not mean that you need to stop doing what brings pleasure.

It is important to stay physically active: walking, cycling, swimming, light exercise, but some things should still be avoided – throwing snow in the cold, running when it’s too hot, lifting heavy loads. What is possible and what is not, the attending physician knows best. Also, most likely, he will advise you to change something in your diet to reduce swelling. This may be a restriction of salt, as well as a decrease in the amount of fluid you drink.

The following lifestyle changes can slow the progression of heart failure:

– quitting smoking and alcohol

– a healthy weight

– controlling blood pressure

– reducing stress factors.

Some patients may need drugs such as ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and aldosterone blockers.