What Is Heart Failure?

The name doesn’t mean your heart stops. It just doesn’t work as well as it should. It happens when the muscle is weakened and can’t pump enough blood and oxygen to your body. It can compensate for a while, but eventually you’ll need to get treated.

What Causes It?

Your heart can begin to fail as you age, but the condition can affect young people, too. Most people with it had a related problem first. It could be high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, a heart attack, a birth defect of the heart, or a disease that strikes the blood-pumping muscle.

Lung disease can lead to heart failure, too. Obesity, diabetes and sleep apnea have also been linked to it.

Tips to Prevent Heart Failure

You can lower your odds of getting the condition. Make sure to eat well and exercise. If you smoke, quit. If you’re carrying a few extra pounds, do what you can to lose them. If you’re already at high risk, or your heart already is damaged, your doctor can help lower your risk with medicine. It’s important that you and your doctor work as a team.

Heart Failure Treatment

There’s usually no cure for the problem, but it can be treated. Typically, that plan will include things like exercise and a low-sodium diet. Your doctor may ask that you weigh yourself daily to make sure you’re not keeping too much fluid. You’ll also need to keep track of how much fluid you eat or drink each day. There’ll be medicine to take. You’ll also likely need to manage stress and avoid caffeine. Your doctor might also recommend surgery to implant devices to help your heart, too