Heart failure is a chronic illness which requires lifelong management. However, with an appropriate treatment performed at a reputed heart hospital in Hyderabad, the signs and symptoms of heart failure can improve. In fact the treatment may help a patient live longer.
Before the treatment of heart failure, it is important to diagnose the disorder. To detect failure of heart, your doctor will analyze your medical history, assess your symptoms and carry out a physical examination. Additionally, the doctor will also check for the presence of risk factors, such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease or diabetes. Using a stethoscope, your doctor can listen to your lungs and check out for signs of congestion. This device also helps pick up abnormal heart sounds that may suggest heart failure. Once the physical examination is done, your doctor may recommend some of the crucial tests such as:-
Tests to Diagnose Heart Related Problems
Blood Tests
In this test, a blood sample is taken to look for signs of diseases that can affect the heart. A medical professional may also check for a chemical called N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide to diagnose the problem.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
A heart attack is caused when the blood flow that supplies oxygen to the heart muscle is reduced or cut off completely. An ECG test is used to record the electrical activity of your heart through electrodes attached to your skin. It enables to diagnose heart rhythm problems which can be the cause of Heart Attack – Men vs. Women.
Chest X-ray
It enables your doctor to observe the condition of your lungs and heart. An X-ray can also be used to diagnose conditions other than heart failure.
Cardiac Computerized Tomography (CT) scan
During a CT scan, a patient is made to lie on a table inside a doughnut-shaped machine. And, an X-ray tube present inside the machine rotates around the body and collects images of your heart and chest.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
While conducting a MRI, a patient lies on a table inside a long tubelike machine that produces a magnetic field. This aligns atomic particles in some of your cells and radio waves are broadcast toward these aligned particles, thereby, producing signals that create images of the heart.
Myocardial Biopsy
In this test, a small, flexible biopsy cord is inserted into a vein in the neck or groin, and small pieces of the heart muscle are taken. This test may be performed to detect certain types of heart muscle diseases that cause heart failure.
Heart Failure Treatment Guidelines
Heart failure is a chronic disease which require lifelong management. However, with suitable treatment, the signs and symptoms of heart failure can improve and even reduce chances of death. Doctors generally treat heart failure with a combination of medications which depends on the symptoms.
Here mentioned are some of those medicines:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors:
ACE inhibitors are a drug that broadens blood vessels to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow and lower the workload on the heart.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers:
These drugs which include losartan and valsartan have same benefits as ACE inhibitors. They may be a substitute for patients who can’t tolerate ACE inhibitors.
Beta Blockers:
It slows your heart rate and reduces blood pressure. Also, limits or reverses some of the damage to your heart in case you have systolic heart failure.
Surgery to Treat Heart Disorder
In certain cases of heart failure, doctors may even recommend surgery to treat the underlying problem that led to heart failure. Some of these treatments include:-
Coronary Bypass Surgery:
Your doctor may recommend coronary artery bypass surgery if severely blocked arteries are contributing to your heart failure. In this type of surgical procedure, blood vessels from your leg, arm or chest bypass a blocked artery in your heart allowing blood to flow through your heart freely.
Heart Valve Repair:
Your doctor may recommend repairing or replacing the valve if a faulty heart valve causes your heart failure. To repair the valve, surgeons can reconnect valve leaflets. Also, it can be done by removing excess valve tissue so that the leaflets can close tightly.
Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICDs):
It is a device similar to a pacemaker and it is implanted under the skin in your chest with wires leading through your veins and into your heart. It helps monitor the heart rhythm and if the heart starts beating at a dangerous rhythm, the ICD tries to pace your heart or shock it back into normal rhythm.
Heart Transplant:
Heart transplants can enhance the quality of life of some people with severe heart failure. But, candidates for transplantation need to wait for some time before a suitable donor heart is found.
Taking care of your heart health is crucial for maintaining a healthy life. However, in case you suffer from heart disorders of a severe kind, you must reach out to a hospital where suitable heart failure treatment guidelines are followed, thus offering you a proper heart failure treatment.
