Heart Failure

 Hello everyone! I hope that you all are fine. I am fine too. By reading the title you must have understood that I will discuss Heart Failure or in other terms, Heart Attack. So, let us get started!

GENERAL INTRODUCTION:-

A Heart Attack occurs when there is a blockage in the heart and the blood supply is interrupted.

CAUSES:-

The most common cause of heart failure is when your coronary artery is blocked by some fatty acids or Cholesterol. So, we can say that High-Cholesterol Level can result in a heart attack. Some other causes of Heart Failure are as follows:-

• A spasm of a coronary artery that shuts down blood flow to part of the heart muscle can also be a leading cause of Heart Failure. Using tobacco and illicit drugs, such as cocaine, can cause a life-threatening spasm.

Note that a spasm is also known as muscle cramps. Spasms occur when a muscle involuntary and forcibly contracts and cannot relax. These are very common and can affect any muscle. Typically, they involve part or all of a muscle, or several muscles in a group.)

• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Smoking 
• Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including Diabetes, Overweight, and Obesity.
• Age:- Men aged 45 or older and women aged 55 or older are more likely to have a heart attack than are younger men and women.
• Metabolic syndrome. ( Read my blog on Metabolic Syndrome to further know about it.)
• Family history of heart attacks. 
•  Lack of physical activity:- Being inactive contributes to high blood cholesterol levels and obesity. People who exercise regularly have better heart health, including lower blood pressure.
• Stress:- You might respond to stress in ways that can increase your risk of a heart attack.
• An autoimmune condition:- Having a condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus can increase your risk of a heart attack.

SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS:-

In practice, Heart failure may be diagnosed develops the signs and symptoms of:- 

• Low cardiac output.
• Pulmonary Congestion
• Systematic Venous Congestion

There are some other symptoms one can easily recognize as those of a heart attack. These symptoms are also known as silent signs of heart failure:-

• Chest Pain, Pressure, Fullness, or Discomfort
• Discomfort in other areas of your body
• Difficulty breathing and dizziness
• Nausea and cold sweats

NOTE:- If you notice these symptoms, you:-

• Act immediately. Some people wait too long because they don't recognize the important signs and symptoms. Take these steps:
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• Call for emergency medical help. If you suspect you're having a heart attack, don't hesitate. Immediately call your local emergency number. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital.

• Drive yourself only if there are no other options. Because your condition can worsen, driving yourself puts you and others at risk.

• Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed to you by a doctor. Take it as instructed while awaiting emergency help.

• Take aspirin, if recommended. Taking aspirin during a heart attack could reduce heart damage by helping to keep your blood from clotting.

• Aspirin can interact with other medications, however, so don't take an aspirin unless your doctor or emergency medical personnel recommend it. Don't delay calling the local emergency number to take an aspirin. Call for emergency help first.

• If you see someone who's unconscious and you believe is having a heart attack, first call for emergency medical help. Then check if the person is breathing and has a pulse. If the person isn't breathing or you don't find a pulse, only then should you begin CPR. Push hard and fast on the person's chest in a fairly rapid rhythm — about 100 to 120 compressions a minute. If you haven't been trained in CPR, doctors recommend performing only chest compressions. If you have been trained in CPR, you can go on to opening the airway and rescue breathing.

TYPES OF HEART FAILURE:-

Following are the types of Heart Failure:-

LEFT-SIDED HEART FAILURE

This is a reduction in left ventricular output and an increase in left atrial and pulmonary venous pressure.  An acute increase in left atrial pressure causes pulmonary congestion or pulmonary oedema;  A more gradual increase in left atrial pressure, as occurs with mitral stenosis, reflects pulmonary vasoconstriction which protects the patient from pulmonary Oedema. This increases pulmonary Vascular Resistance and causes pulmonary hypertension, which can, in turn, impair right ventricular function.

RIGHT-SIDED HEART FAILURE

This is a reduction in right ventricular output and an increase in right atrial and systemic venous pressure. Causes of isolated right heart failure include chronic lung disease (corpulmonale), Pulmonary embolism, and pulmonary valvular stenosis. 
BIVENTRICULAR HEART FAILURE:-

Failure of the left and right heart may develop because of the disease process, such as dilated cardiomyopathy or ischaemic heart disease, both affects both ventricles are because the disease of the left heart leads, to chronic elevation of the left atrial pressure pulmonary hypertension, and right heart failure

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PREVENTIONS:-

Following are the preventions of a heart attack:-

• Taking medications can reduce your risk of a subsequent heart attack and help your damaged heart function better. Continue to take what your doctor prescribes, and ask your doctor how often you need to be monitored.

• Lifestyle factors:- You know the drill: Maintain a healthy weight with a heart-healthy diet, don't smoke, exercise regularly, manage stress, and control conditions that can lead to a heart attack, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

 Not all people who have heart attacks have the same symptoms or have the same severity of symptoms. Some people have mild pain; others have more severe pain. Some people have no symptoms. For others, the first sign may be sudden cardiac arrest. However, the more signs and symptoms you have, the greater the chance you're having a heart attack. Some heart attacks strike suddenly, but many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days, or weeks in advance. The earliest warning might be recurrent chest pain or pressure (angina) that's triggered by activity and relieved by rest. Angina is caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the heart.

Well readers, so that was it. Hope you liked it and if any problems, feel free to ask in the comment section. Suggestions are also appreciated. Please share and follow my blog. I would write my next blog soon. Till then, bye!!