Heart failure doesn’t mean it’s flunking out
The term “heart failure” sounds as if the heart has stopped working. Although it’s a serious condition and requires timely medical attention, the words actually mean that the heart isn’t able to keep up with its workload resulting in the body not getting as much oxygen as it needs.
The American Heart Association explains, “Your body depends on the heart’s pumping action to deliver oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the body’s cells. With heart failure, the weakened heart can’t supply the cells with enough blood. This results in fatigue and shortness of breath, and some people experience excessive coughing. Everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries can become very difficult.”
The heart has four chambers – two upper (atria) and two lower (ventricles). The right atrium takes in oxygen-depleted blood from the rest of the body and sends it through the right ventricle to the lungs, which infuse the blood with oxygen. Then the oxygen-rich blood travels from the lungs to the left atrium, then on to the left ventricle that pumps it to the rest of the body. With heart failure the four chambers don’t beat in an organized way.
AHA says that at first the heart tries to make up for its inability to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs by doing one, some or all of the following:
1. Enlarging. The heart stretches to contract more strongly and keep up with the body’s demand to pump more blood. Over time, this causes the heart to enlarge.
2. Developing more muscle mass. The increase in muscle mass occurs because the contracting cells of the heart get bigger. This lets the heart pump more strongly, at least initially.
3. Pumping faster. This helps increase the heart’s output.
The body can also try to compensate in other ways. One way is that the blood vessels will narrow to increase blood pressure, “trying to make up for the heart’s loss of power,” AHA says.
Alternatively, the “kidneys retain more salt and water rather than excrete it through urine. This creates an increased volume of blood, which helps to maintain blood pressure and allows the heart to pump stronger. But over time this extra volume can overtask the heart, making heart failure worse.”
They say that these measures just “mask the problem, but they don’t solve it.” Heart failure will continue and eventually worsen until the person experiences symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, persistent coughing or wheezing, buildup of excess fluid in body tissues, lack of appetite, nausea, increase heart rate, difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness, swelling of the belly area accompanied by sudden weight gain or loss.
“The body’s compensation mechanisms help to explain why some people might not become aware of their condition until years after their heart begins its decline. (That is a good reason to have a regular checkup with your doctor.)” AHA says.
The Mayo Clinic says to see your healthcare professional if you think you have any of the above symptoms. But you should call 911 or seek immediate emergency care if you have chest pain, are fainting or have severe weakness, rapid or irregular heartbeat with shortness of breath, chest pain or fainting; or if you have sudden, severe shortness of breath and are coughing up white or pink foamy mucus.
“These symptoms may be due to heart failure. But there are many other possible causes. Don’t try to diagnose yourself,” Mayo says.
The terms heart failure and congestive heart failure are often used interchangeably. Specifically, there are three types of heart failure. Right-sided heart failure, left-sided heart failure and congestive heart failure. Space doesn’t allow for me to explain it more thoroughly, but the American Heart Association does a great job, if you’re interested.
What I do want to say is that although heart failure can be life-threatening, with proper treatment symptoms of heart failure may improve. A combination of medications and lifestyle changes may be just what the doctor orders. And if another health condition is causing the heart to fail, treating that condition can reverse heart failure. However, you should know that some people with heart failure will need surgery to open blocked arteries or a device to make the heart work more efficiently.
Kathy Hubbard is a member of Bonner General Health Foundation Advisory Council. She can be reached at kathyleehubbard@yahoo.com.