The body needs oxygen and other nutrients to function properly. The heart is responsible for pumping enough oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to all the organs in the body. In heart failure, the heart loses its ability to pump adequate amounts of blood to the body. This leads to symptoms like fatigue, swelling of the legs and abdomen, and coughing. Heart failure can be treated with medication, lifestyle changes and surgery.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes can help reduce the symptoms of heart failure. The American Heart Association suggests that sufferers of mild to moderate heart failure can lead an almost normal life with lifestyle changes. Some lifestyle changes for heart failure are eating a healthy diet that is low in fat, cholesterol and salt; not smoking; avoiding alcohol and caffeine; as well as maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active. These changes are important because habits like excessive salt and alcohol intake can make heart failure worse.
Medication
Certain drugs are used to treat heart failure. Diuretics, or water pills, are used to treat heart failure, helping the body get rid of excess fluid. This reduces the amount of blood the heart has to pump, and its workload. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and beta blockers are blood pressure-reducing medications that are used to treat heart failure. Lower blood pressure reduces the heart's workload. Digoxin is another medication used as a heart failure treatment. It helps the heart contract more strongly so that it can pump blood more effectively.
Surgery
A coronary artery bypass is a surgical procedure used to treat heart failure that is caused by blocked coronary arteries. During this procedure, a healthy blood vessel is taken from another area of the body and is then used to replace the blocked heart artery. If a defective heart valve is the cause of heart failure, it can be repaired or replaced through surgery. Mechanical devices such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, a heart pump, or a pacemaker can be implanted into the heart to ensure that it keeps beating. In the event that medication or surgery cannot improve heart failure, a heart transplant may be necessary. In this case, the damaged heart is replaced with a heart from an organ donor.
