Diagnosis and Treatment for Heart Failure
In many cases,
physicians diagnose heart failure during a
physical examination. Readily identifiable signs
are shortness of breath, fatigue, and swollen
ankles and feet. The physician also will check
for the presence of risk factors, such as
hypertension, obesity, and a history of heart
problems. Using a stethoscope, the physician can
listen to a patient breath and identify the
sounds of lung congestion. The stethoscope also
picks up the abnormal heart sounds indicative of
heart failure.
If neither the symptoms nor the
patient's history point to a clear-cut
diagnosis, the physician may recommend any of a
variety of laboratory tests, including,
initially, an electrocardiogram, which uses
recording devices placed on the chest to
evaluate the electrical activity of a patient's
heartbeat.
Echocardiography is another
means of evaluating heart function from outside
the body. Sound waves bounced off the heart are
recorded and translated into images. The
pictures can reveal abnormal heart size, shape,
and movement. Echocardiography also can be used
to calculate a patient's ejection fraction, a
measure of the amount of blood pumped out when
the heart contracts.
Another possible test is the
chest x-ray, which also determines the heart's
size and shape, as well as the presence of
congestion in the lungs.
Treatments
For the common forms of heart
failure, those due to damaged heart muscle, no
known cure exists. But treatment for these forms
may be quite successful. The treatment seeks to
improve patients' quality of life and length of
survival through lifestyle change and drug
therapy.
Patients can minimize the
effects of heart failure by controlling the risk
factors for heart disease. Obvious steps include
quitting smoking, losing weight if necessary,
abstaining from alcohol, and making dietary
changes to reduce the amount of salt and fat
consumed. Regular, modest exercise is also
helpful for many patients.
But, even with lifestyle
changes, most heart failure patients must take
medication. Many patients receive two or more
drugs. Several types of drugs have proven useful
in the treatment of heart failure.
-
ACE Inhibitors.
-
Angiotensin Receptor
Blockers (ARBs)
-
Digitalis
-
Diuretics
-
Hydralazine
-
Nitrates
-
Not all medications are
suitable for all patients. If you suspect
that you are having a side effect, alert
your physician.
