Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the world. Heart failure, in particular, is a disease that affects nearly 14 million Europeans, including 500,000 in France and which causes nearly 32,000 deaths each year in the same country. This heart disease that develops in silence, however, can be diagnosed in advance if we pay attention to some signals that sends our body. Let us take stock of the causes and symptoms of this disease.
What is heart failure?
The main role of the heart is to feed all organs of the body with blood, which will bring nutrients and oxygen, so that they can function properly.
When this one can no longer perform its functions normally, following the loss of muscular force, one speaks of heart failure. This is a very serious heart disease, where the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
The incidence of this disease increases in people who have a fragile health, who suffer from hypertension, respiratory or cardiac problems (myocardial infarction, angina, cardiac malformation, cardiac valve disorders ...).
Causes of heart failure:
Heart failure can affect one of the two ventricles, right or left, or both at the same time.
When the left ventricle is reached (left heart failure) fluids accumulate in the tissues, more precisely in the lungs, which causes difficulty in breathing. Left heart failure is the most common type and is mainly caused by high blood pressure or coronary artery disease.
On the other hand, when the right ventricle is affected, the fluids accumulate in the lower limbs, causing edema. Right heart failure may occur as a result of left heart failure, or as a result of respiratory illness.
Other risk factors may also contribute to the onset of heart failure, namely:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Hyperthyroidism
- Lupus
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Obesity
- Hypertension
Signs of heart failure:
The general and most common symptoms of heart failure are:
- The constant fatigue which is caused by the lack of oxygenation of the tissues
- Respiratory problems, caused by increased blood pressure in the lung vessels, hamper their proper functioning. This problem results in shortness of breath even at rest, difficulty breathing especially when lying down and coughing especially during the night
- Accelerating heart rate
- Weight gain due to water retention
There are also signs specific to each form of heart failure. Thus, in the case of left heart failure, the respiratory problems are more acute, because as mentioned above, the fluids accumulate in the lungs. On the other hand, in the case of right heart failure, there is a swelling of the belly and pain in the liver caused by the increase in the volume of this organ, due to a lack of oxygenation of its cells.
This form of heart failure may also be manifested by edema in peripheral tissues, particularly in the legs and ankles. The accumulation of fluids in the tissues can be explained by the stagnation of the blood in the vessels, following the slowing of the circulation. This has the effect of raising the pressure at the walls, thus causing the fluid to access the tissues, where they will accumulate.
What are the complications of heart failure?
Untreated heart failure can have serious health consequences. In addition to the symptoms, it increases the risk of cardiac arrest and arrhythmia and can cause serious damage to the liver and kidneys.
How to prevent heart failure?
To prevent heart failure, it is important to reduce risk factors. Regular monitoring of hypertension, diabetes and blood cholesterol levels is important to maintain overall health and reduce the risk of heart failure.
It is also essential to have a healthy lifestyle. Is :
- Follow a healthy and balanced diet, rich in natural foods that provide the body with the nutrients it needs.
- Doing sports, at least 3 times a week
- Avoiding smoking
- Avoid drinking alcohol
If you notice any of the above symptoms, do not hesitate to consult your doctor. The problem may be minor, as it may well be cardiac insufficiency