LVAD Surgery Saves Man With End-Stage Heart Failure: All You Need To Know
A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is used for patients who have reached end-stage heart failure and are ineligible for heart transplantation.
Heart failure commonly refers to a condition in which the heart cannot sufficiently pump enough blood to sustain the body’s functions. It generally occurs due to the weakening of the heart’s cardiac muscles or an inability of blood to fill itself in the heart. It is important to understand that heart failure is a serious condition that requires medical treatment.
The condition may develop in a short duration of time or may progress slowly over a longer duration. Heart failure may affect either one or both sides of the heart and can be attributed to different underlying causes.
An existing heart or systemic disease such as coronary heart disease, irregular heart rhythm, inflammation and hypertension may precipitate heart failure.
Elderly patients are more prone to heart failure. Women generally develop heart failure at a later age as compared to men. The reasons for the development of the condition also vary depending on gender.
Symptoms of heart failure may not appear immediately but can develop over a period of time. Initially, symptoms such as tiredness and shortness of breath may occur that are sometimes ignored by some individuals or go unnoticed.
Heart failure affects various integral organs such as the kidneys, liver etc. Heart failure may also lead to other complications, including heart attack, pulmonary hypertension, development of an irregular heartbeat etc.
Diagnosis is mainly done through routine tests, physical examinations and scans. Patients with heart failure must improve their lifestyle as it can only be managed and not completely cured.
Heart failure can broadly be categorized into three main types depending on the affected side and function. Generally, the classification is as follows:
CAUSES
Heart failure is generally an outcome of various other conditions affecting the heart. Commonly known causes of heart failure include:
Most symptoms of heart failure depend upon the type and severity of the disease.
Individuals suffering from left-sided heart failure generally experience the following symptoms:
A physical exam may be required. It is important to inform a doctor if an individual experience any of the above symptoms. The doctor will perform a two-dimensional echocardiogram with Doppler flow studies as a confirmatory test. Additionally, routine blood tests may also be conducted to determine kidney function, total cholesterol, and levels of electrolytes in the body such as sodium, potassium, etc. A doctor may also recommend a chest X-ray. ECGs and MRIs may help determine the ejection fraction value for an individual, which helps assess ventricular function, especially that of the left ventricle. Other imaging tests such as echography, nuclear medicine scans etc. may be conducted to determine the type of heart failure and its severity.
Evaluation of risk factors is an important step in preventing heart failure. Other measures include managing other existing conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes and making improvements in one’s lifestyle such as stress management, weight control, quitting alcohol consumption and smoking etc.
Treatment options generally depend upon the type of heart failure and its severity. Most patients require a combination of two or more treatment options. Some treatments must be continued lifelong. Treatment also depends upon the stage of heart failure, which may range from a high risk of developing heart failure to an advanced state of the disease. Patients who have progressed to an advanced stage may require rigorous treatment to prevent worsening of the condition.
Commonly employed treatments regimens include:
Heart failure may lead to the following complications:
A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is used for patients who have reached end-stage heart failure and are ineligible for heart transplantation.
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A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is used for patients who have reached end-stage heart failure and are ineligible for heart transplantation.
Considered an incurable heart condition, cardiac amyloidosis can ultimately lead to heart failure. Three men has miraculously recovered form this fatal condition.
In comparison to open-heart surgery, keyhole cardiac surgeries are less invasive and more precise. Get to know more here.
While HFpEF and HFrEF are severe, they can be managed with timely diagnosis and proper medication.
Here are a few things that you should be doing every day to keep your heart healthy and reduce heart attack risk, as suggested by Interventional Cardiologist Dr Kaushal Chhatrapati.
Winter can give you a tough time to your heart. Read on to know why the risk of heart-related problems, including heart attack, heart failure, and arrhythmia, increases as temperature drops.
A simple 2D echo can detect valve problems. Watch out for the signs and symptoms of heart valve disease and report to your doctor on a priority basis.
While healthcare providers are trained well to offer gender-neutral intervention to patients, the same cannot be said for outsiders who might stop due to social inhibitions
While the two procedures sound very similar and it is common for many of us to confuse one with another, the procedures differ entirely in their purpose and function
The man dressed up as Hanuman, carrying a fancy, long winding tail and doing an energetic body movement on stage. Suddenly, in matter of seconds, the man falls off the stage and collapses
The study looked at the effects of heat waves that affected Europe in 2019. It found a strong association between temperature and body weight, with body weight dropping as the temperature rose
On World Heart Day 202, a doctor throws light on commonly consumed over-the-counter drugs that can aggravate the risks of heart diseases and cause severe damage to other key organs.
Heart failure mortality increases with old age, and it's essential that time visits to the doctor and supervised medication along with companionship can enhance the quality of life.
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A cardiac surgeon tells everything you need to know about aortic aneurysm, and how you can lower the risk.
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Take help immediately if you suffer from any of these symptoms.
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