Act Fast! Congestive Heart Failure Treatable If Caught Early

In the previous few years, congestive heart failure meant death. But not anymore. Now, if the doctors diagnose heart failure in early stages, with congestive heart failure treatment, the symptoms can be treated and the disease can be reversed.

What is Congestive heart failure?

Congestive heart failure is a syndrome, in which the heart works less efficiently. In this condition, the blood moves throughout the body and heart at a lesser speed. Hence, the heart fails to pump the required oxygen. The fluid gets piled in the arms, legs, lungs, and many other organs, finally leading to congestive heart failure.

Before moving on to the congestive heart failure treatment, it is important to know the causes and symptoms of congestive heart failure.

Causes

Congestive heart failure can be a gradual disease, though the common causes can be:

• Heart Injury like a heart attack
• High blood pressure
• Coronary artery disease
• Cardiomyopathy and infection due to drug abuse
• Diabetes

Symptoms

Symptoms may vary with different people, but the most common symptoms include:

• Swelling in lungs, abdomen, feet, and legs
• Shortness of breath
• Night breathless
• Fatigue
• Cough

Act Fast to treat Congestive heart failure effectively

Heart failure is a disease that needs lifelong management. But with treatment, the symptoms of heart failure can be managed. It is very important for everyone to know that early diagnosis and early treatment of CHF can result in the complete elimination of the disease. Over the past few decades, medical science has grown exponentially and today, congestive heart failure treatment can be reversed.

Treatment of Congestive heart failure

The first step is to diagnose CHF by checking health history and conducting a physical exam.

Physicians will suggest some important tests such as blood tests, electrocardiogram (ECG), chest X-ray, stress tests, Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan, Cardiac Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), heart catheterization or coronary angiogram, echocardiogram, etc. An echocardiogram is a kind of ultrasound that is considered extremely helpful in assessing the condition of the heart of the patient. It evaluates the heart function, the size of the heart, and heart valves. After diagnosing and finding the cause of this condition, the doctor will begin the treatment.

The treatment option depends on the underlying cause like repairing a heart valve, controlling fast heartbeat, etc.

Here are a few treatment options:

• Medicines: By providing the right medication, the doctors ensure the smooth functioning of the heart.
• Helpful Devices: The devices like pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators can improve heart function and help weakened heart muscle.
• Coronary bypass surgery: If the patient has blocked arteries that are causing heart failure, the doctor may recommend coronary artery bypass surgery.
• Heart valve repair or replacement: The doctor recommends repairing or replacing the valve when the heart valve is causing heart failure.
• Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT): This involves sending electrical impulses to lower chambers of the heart to pump more blood.
• Valve replacement is done when valve repair isn’t possible. In valve replacement surgery, the damaged valve is replaced by an artificial (prosthetic) valve.