how can you help your heart
Directions for patients with heart failure Frequently asked questions
What is heart failure? Heart failure doesn’t mean that your heart has stopped working but that your heart can not supply sufficient blood flow to meet your body needs
What causes heart failure? Heart failure is a result of many other disorders. Sometimes the real reason cannot be revealed. Most common causes of heart failure include: - Coronary artery disease (narrowing and closure of the arteries that feed the heart). Many of the patients with heart failure have had a myocardial infarction. - Weakening of heart muscle (cardiomiopathy) - High blood pressure (hypertension) - Heart valves problems - Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) - Toxic substances (like alcohol) - Cognitive heart diseases - Diabetes mellitus - Problems with thyroid gland
Which are the symptoms of heart failure? Most common symptoms of heart failure include: - Asphyxia physical work)
(especially
while
- - - ankle) -
Asphyxia while lying down Weakness and exhaustion Swell on the legs (feet and Cough
W hich
examination
should do ?
you
- X-ray scan on your lungs and heart - ECG (electrocardiogram) - Heart echocardiography - Blood analysis - Coronarography (by indication)
How it is treated? Heart failure cannot be completely cured. Symptoms can be diminished and you can improve quality of life with the treatment of primary disease.
Treatment can be conventional or operative. In both cases the patient should change his life style; he should be on a proper diet, decrease physical activity, and take medications regularly.
Which medications should I take? Most common medications for heart failure are: ►
ACE inhibitors (Enap, Enalapril, Renalapril, Alkadil, Kaptopril, Zorkaptil, Hemokvin) that make vasodilatation which leads in lowering of blood pressure and than good blood flow is obtained; А ► Diuretics (Lasix, Furosemide, Edemid forte, Aldactone, Spironolakton, Hydrochlortiazide) are helping in excretion of excess water from the body and in that way stops fluid collection in the lungs and breathing is easier; ► Beta blockers (Bloxan, Atenolol, Propranolol, Prinorm, Panapres, Presolol, Metoprolol, Betalok, Concor, Dilatrend, Coriol, Carvedilol) are improving blood flow and are helping in problems with heart rhythms; ► Cardiotonics (Lanitop, Plitop, Digoksin) are helping heart to pump blood better; ► Statins (antihiperlipidemics): Holesta, Vasilip, Simvastatin, Atorvastatin, Atoris and others are
lowering levels blood fats. ► Other medications that should be used in addition to the therapy are: Potassium, Magnesium; Temporary laboratory analyses are required to control the levels of potassium and renal and hepatic function because of different kind of medications that patient takes regularly.
How long should I take the medications?
Some of the medications you should take for long period, which depends from your heart condition as from the nature of primary disease. Always consult a doctor if you cannot find the medication to give you a replacement.
How often should I come for control examination? At the beginning controls are more frequent: maybe you should come each week to check the effects of medications. After you adopt the therapy and feel better control examinations will be reduced.
When should I call a doctor? Call your doctor if you have breathing problems, swell on your legs, and increased body weight for 12 kg in a few days, as if you have any
questions about your therapy.
Shall I measure my body weight? It is very important to measure and write down your body weight each day. Every change means retention of fluids in your body and additional stress to your already weakened heart muscle. With everyday routine of measuring and writing the down the measurements you’ll help your doctor to adjust the diuretic therapy and avoid additional worsening and hospitalization. Inform your doctor if you increase your weight for 1-2 kg per day. If your weight and breathing don’t improve besides adjustment in your diuretic therapy call your doctor.
Physical activity
Walking is most recommended activity. You should start with short walks and enlarge them each day depending on your condition. Always stop with the activity if you feel asphyxia, exhaustion, chest pain, cold sweat. Always avoid physical activity on very low or high temperatures.
How your diet should be You should eat different food. It is the best if you eat fresh food (fruits and vegetables) without adjuvant. Avoid food with high amount of
calories (sugar, fats), alcohol. Do not use salt in your food or if you use, use it in very small amounts. The salt makes retention of fluids in your body and provokes asphyxia and breathing problems.
What happens if I forget to take a pill?
Never take double dose if you forget to take the pill on time. Continue with the therapy as prescribed.
Can I drive a car? If you have been unconscious as a result to arrhythmia you shouldn’t drive. You can drive 6 months after your last registered ventricular arrhythmia.
May I be vaccinated? Of course, it is recommended to be vaccinated against cold, as against other infection diseases to prevent you from lung infections that can be serious in patients with heart failure.
May I smoke?
Smoking is forbidden for all patients with heart diseases. Smoke from the cigarettes consist Carbon monoxide that has influence on oxygen consumption of the cells.
Several suggestions for you to be a “good” patient ● Take your medications at same time each day ● Always read the instructions before you take the medication whether you should take them before meal, after your meal, with food etc..
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Don’t increase the dose by yourself; ● Consult your doctor for taking vitamins and minerals as food supplements; ● Try taking your diuretic therapy early in the morning that can help you not to wake up trough the night; ● Measure your body weight every day; ●
Stop smoking;
● Do not drink alcohol; ● Consult your doctor if you notice any changes while taking some medications-dry cough, swell under your knees etc..; ● Go regularly on your control examinations: write down all questions that you need to ask your doctor;
an essential component of mammalian DICTIONARY OF MEDICALcell membranes where it is required to establish proper membrane PHRASES o Angina pectoris - is severe permeability and fluidity. High levels chest pain due to ischemia of the heart of cholesterol in circulation are muscle generally due to obstruction associated with atherosclerosis. High-density lipoprotein or spasm of the coronary arteries (the o heart’s blood vessels). Coronary artery (HDL) is one of the five major groups disease, the main cause of angina, is of lipoproteins (chylomicrons, VLDL, due to atherosclerosis of the cardiac IDL, LDL, HDL) which enable lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides to arteries. o Arteriolosclerosis is any be transported within the water based hardening (and loss of elasticity) of blood stream. Low-density lipoprotein arterioles (small arteries). It is often due o (LDL) is a type of lipoprotein that to hypertension. o Blood vessels are the part transports cholesterol and triglycerides of the circulatory system that transport from the liver to peripheral tissues. Triglycerides – another blood throughout the body, arteries, o type blood fat that can narrow blood veins and capillary. o Coronary arteries – arteries vessels. o Diabetes mellitus often of heart muscle that supply oxygen. referred to simply as diabetes is a o Coronary artery disease (CAD) (or atherosclerotic heart disease) syndrome of disordered metabolism, is the end result of the accumulation of usually due to a combination of atheromatous plaques within the walls hereditary and environmental causes, of the coronary arteries that supply the resulting in abnormally high blood myocardium (the muscle of the heart) sugar levels (hyperglycemia). o Antioxidants- substances with oxygen and nutrients. o Dyslipidemia is a disruption from the fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds that help or prevent blood vessels in the amount of lipids in the blood. o Risk factors for cardio from narrowing due to cholesterol and vascular diseases – hypertension, other blood fats. Myocardial infarction smoking, alcohol, dyslipidemia, age, o (MI or AMI for acute myocardial gender, family history of CAD. o A n t i h y p e r t e n s i v e infarction), commonly known as a medications – medications that decrease heart attack, occurs when the blood high blood pressure. o Cholesterol- It is supply to part of the heart is interrupted
patients that were following the instructions from their doctors, were taking therapy regularly, have changed their life and know more about their disease have better prognosis that patients that weren’t following the rules.
causing some heart cells to die. o Heart rate (HR) is a measure of the number of heart beats per minute (bpm). o Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. o Atheromatous plaque, a buildup of white blood cell (sometimes termed fatty, despite absence of adipocytes) deposits within the wall of an artery. o Ejection fraction (Ef) is the fraction of blood pumped out of a ventricle with each heart beat. o Cardiac arrhythmia (also dysrhythmia) is a term for any of a large and heterogeneous group of conditions in which there is abnormal electrical activity in the heart. The heart beat may be too fast or too slow, and may be regular or irregular. o Hypolipidemic agents, or antihyperlipidemic agents, are a diverse group of pharmaceuticals that are used in the treatment of hyperlipidemias. They are called lipidlowering drugs (LLD) or agents. According
latest
world
statistics
Most popular web pages where you can get more information on heart diseases are: www.americanheart.org www.heartfailure.org www.hfsa.org www.familydoctor.org