Heart Failure
Heart failure, also known as heart disease and cardiovascular disease, is the general term utilized to describe a wide variety of conditions which negatively affect heart function. Such conditions include congenital heart defects, artery disease, and irregular heartbeat. The heart acts as a pump, circulating oxygen rich blood throughout the body to feed the organ systems. The above named conditions, which can cause blood vessels to become blocked, as well as abnormal functioning of the heart muscles, can interfere with that process, leading to chest pain, heart attack, or stroke.
The symptoms of heart disease vary, depending on what area/organ of the circulatory system is affected: when the disease is in the arteries the blood vessels become blocked, preventing vital organs such as the heart and brain from receiving enough blood. In this instance symptoms can include difficulty breathing, pain in the chest, and numbness in the extremities. Some of the symptoms caused by an irregular heartbeat, also called heart arrhythmia, are an accelerated or slowed heartbeat, dizzy spells, fainting, chest pain, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness. In the case of congenital heart defects skin discoloration, swelling around the abdomen and in the legs, quickly losing breath during exercise or physical activity, and swelling in the ankles, hands, and feet are all common symptoms.
Perhaps the leading cause of heart disease, atherosclerosis is the buildup fatty plaque in the arteries. This buildup enlarges the walls of the arteries, blocking normal blood flow to the major body systems and organs. In the case of heart arrhythmia high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, above average consumption of alcohol or caffeine, and stress can serve as causes. Most congenital heart issues have their origin in utero as the heart is developing along with the rest of the body; however congenital defects can also develop over time, as the heart can undergo structural changes during the aging process.
If You Have Been Diagnosed with Heart Failure
Just as there are many different varieties of heart disease, there are an equal number of treatment options available. Making healthy lifestyle changes such as reducing the amount of sodium and fat in your diet, eating more fruits and vegetables, implementing a regular exercise regimen, quitting smoking, limiting your alcohol intake, and keeping a healthy blood pressure can all greatly reduce the risk of getting heart disease as well as reduce the severity of symptoms.
Your doctor can also proscribe medication, depending upon the nature of your heart disease, if making lifestyle changes only goes so far. In extreme cases you may need surgery, including bypass or even a heart transplant.
A Whole Health Perspective
Looking at Heart Failure through a Whole Health model, we explore the individual’s unique presentation from the 5 Aspects of Whole Health™ perspective.