Heart failure is a condition in which the heart doesn't pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. It "fails" at what it is supposed to do, but this does not mean it has stopped beating.
Heart failure can be left or right side, or both. The two types are:
If heart failure causes blood to get backed up (congested) in the liver, legs, lungs and abdomen, this is called congestive heart failure.
The most common causes of heart failure are other conditions, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, all of which put strain on and may contribute to weakening or stiffening of the heart.
Many of the symptoms are similar to those of other conditions, such as fatigue and weakness, shortness of breath, fluid retention in the legs, ankles or feet, and loss of appetite and nausea. However, there are some symptoms that require immediate medical attention, including:
If you have any of these emergency symptoms, please call 911 immediately.
If you are at risk, your doctor may already be monitoring your condition. To get an accurate diagnosis, your doctor will review your medical history and perform a physical exam. He or she may also recommend a blood test, chest X-ray, CT scan or MRI.
You may also undergo additional testing, such as:
At Lankenau Heart Institute in the suburbs of Philadelphia, we treat patients with heart failure, or congestive heart failure (CHF), by taking a comprehensive approach that emphasizes lifestyle changes along with advanced treatments and management of contributing conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Changes in diet and lifestyle can include quitting smoking, reducing blood pressure and managing your weight.
Heart failure is also treated with medication, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta blockers, as well as with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), similar to a pacemaker.
Along with medication management and preventive measures, heart failure interventions may include:
When surgery is required to manage heart failure, our board-certified heart failure specialists bring expertise in a wide range of procedures, including heart valve repair and replacement, coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery, and ventricular-assist device implantation. Our experienced team comprises surgeons who have extensive experience with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation as well as a dedicated LVAD nurse practitioner and physician assistant specializing in heart failure.
Heart failure is a lifelong condition that requires long-term care. Our goal is to effectively manage your symptoms and dramatically reduce the rate of hospitalization and readmission associated with your disease.
If you have severe heart failure, a mechanical assist device may be an option for you. This device can serve as either a "bridge-to-transplant" if you are waiting for a donor heart or if you're not eligible or well enough to undergo transplant surgery.
If you're a candidate for heart transplant, this procedure can significantly improve your quality of life and chances of survival. At Lankenau Heart Institute we partner with prominent transplant programs throughout the Philadelphia region to help heart failure patients have access to transplant services.
A type of vasodilator, these drugs widen blood vessels to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow and decrease the workload on the heart.
Aldosterone antagonists are primarily potassium-sparing diuretics, but they have additional properties that help the heart work better.
These drugs reduce signs and symptoms of heart failure, improve heart function and help extend patients’ lives.
CRT involves the use of a special (biventricular) pacemaker to reset, or resynchronize the beat of the heart by causing the ventricles to contract normally.
People with end-stage heart failure for whom other treatments and medications have not helped, and who are otherwise healthy, may be eligible for heart transplant.
An ICD may be recommended if you have a life-threatening arrhythmia or if you have had a heart attack or survived sudden cardiac arrest.
An LVAD is a heart pump that helps the left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber, pump blood more effectively to other parts of the body.
Genetic evaluation is becoming an important part of personalized care, as many health conditions have a genetic basis and genetic test results can help to guide medical decisions. Our genetic counselors provide consultations related to cancer genetics, cardiovascular genetics and prenatal genetics.
