Heart Failure
An estimated 6.2 million adults in the United States have heart failure. Side Health™ is here to provide you with information on its definition, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments.
Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), happens when your heart does not pump blood properly. This often causes blood to back up and fluid to build up in different areas of the body. Conditions that damage the heart are typically what causes heart failure to occur.
Types
There are two main types of heart failure.
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
(also called systolic heart failure) means that your heart is too weak to squeeze like it should.
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
(also called diastolic heart failure) means that your heart is too stiff and therefore unable to refill with blood like it should.
Heart failure is most often caused by another condition that affects the heart. Some examples of these include:
Coronary artery disease
High blood pressure
Heart valve problems
Symptoms
When to visit your doctor?
Visit your doctor if you think you may be experiencing symptoms of heart failure. Call 911 if you experience the following symptoms:
Severe shortness of breath
Diagnosis
Your doctor will review your medical history, discuss your symptoms, and perform a physical examination. There may be additional tests order for further evaluation of your condition including:
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
may be ordered to see if there are any abnormalities of your heart.
Echocardiogram (Echo)
is an ultrasound for your heart that will look at the chambers and valves of your heart as well as how your heart is pumping.
Blood tests
Chest X-ray
Stress tests
Treatment
Prevention
It is important to focus on preventing conditions that may cause heart failure. Some preventative measures include:
Eating heart-healthy diet
Remote Patient Monitoring
Contact us today to get treatment and learn more about these devices!