Left side heart failure develops when the left ventricle, the lower chamber of the heart, weakens and pumps less efficiently than it should. The normal amount of blood isn't pumped with each beat and blood backs up, first into the left atria, the upper chamber of the heart, then into the lungs. Fluid is forced out of the blood vessels into the lungs, making breathing difficult. Treatments for left ventricular failure increase the efficiency of the ventricle's pumping, reduce the overall blood volume or improve breathing, depending on the exact cause and symptoms.
Digoxin
Medications that strengthen each heartbeat so that more blood is pumped with each beat include digoxin, also known as digitalis, which slows a rapid heartbeat, allowing the ventricle to fill fully between beats. Digoxin also increases the force of each beat so that the ventricle empties more completely. Beta blockers also slow the heart rate, but can initially reduce the force of each beat, so are not given until the heart is stabilized, the Merck Manual states.
ACE Inhibitors, Diuretics
Several classes of medication reduce blood volume by increasing blood flow through the kidneys. Some relax and widen blood vessels, while others increase urination and fluid loss. ACE inhibitors, diuretics and aldosterone antagonists all work to decrease blood volume and also lower blood pressure.
Surgery
Some causes of left side ventricular failure can be surgically repaired. Around 50 percent of people with heart failure have problems with the electrical impulses in the heart in addition to heart failure, MayoClinic.com states. Implantable pacemakers help the heart beat in a more coordinated fashion, improving the efficiency of each beat. If damage to the heart valves that control blood flow through the heart causes heart failure, repairing or replacing the valves improves blood flow. Bypass of blocked coronary arteries, which decrease oxygen to the heart and weaken the ventricle, also improves blood flow and heart oxygenation.
Heart transplantation may become necessary in some cases where contraindications such as other serious health problems don't exist. Heart pumps implanted into the abdomen can keep some people stay alive while waiting for transplant or if transplant isn't an option. Although units previously required full time hospital stays, many now allow a person to leave the hospital, the University of California San Francisco reports.
Oxygen Supplementation
Fluid in the lungs reduces the amount of oxygen available, causing shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Supplemental oxygen eases breathing and increases oxygenation to the rest of the body. Losing weight if a person is overweight and quitting smoking also increases available oxygen and decreases the heart's workload.
