Heart Failure - Manipal Hospital

Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, occurs when the heart becomes unable to pump blood due to certain conditions such as high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF HEART FAILURE

Signs and symptoms of heart failure may include:

·         Irregular heart rhythm

·         Fatigue and weakness

·         Swelling in the legs, feet and ankle

·         Shortness of breath

·         Lack of appetite

·         Nausea

·         Difficulty in concentrating

·         Frequent urination

·         Persistent cough or wheezing

·         Chest pain (if caused due to heart attack)

If you believe you are experiencing signs and symptoms of heart failure, immediately see your cardiologists for heart failure treatment.

Heart failure can also lead to death. Hence, seek emergency treatment if you experience any of the signs given below:

·         Severe weakness

·         Irregular heart beats

·         Chest pain

·         Shortness of breath

CAUSES OF HEART FAILURE

Few conditions or diseases that can cause heart failure are:

·         Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy, also known as heart muscle weakness, can cause due to certain infections, excessive consumption of alcohol or certain medications used to treat cancer.

·         Overactive thyroid gland

·         High blood pressure

High blood pressure can put strain on the heart, leading to heart failure.

·         Abnormal heart rhythm

This weakens the heart muscles causing too slow or too fast heartbeats cycle leading to heart failure.

·         Coronary heart disease (CHD)

This can block the arteries that supply blood to the heart leading to heart attack.

·         Damaged heart valves

Damage to the heart valves can obstruct blood flow and reduce the amount of blood your heart can pump leading to increased stress on the heart muscle.

 

RISK FACTORS OF HEART FAILURE

There are many factors that can increase the risk of heart failure, such as:

·         Certain viral infections that can damage your heart muscle

·         Excessive consumption of alcohol

·         Using tobacco

·         Obesity

·         Diabetes

·         High blood pressure

·         Sleep apnoea

·         Congenital heart defects

PREVENTION OF HEART FAILURE

There are certain lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce the risk of heart failure, such as:

·         Quit smoking

·         Manage certain health parameters such as blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol

·         Manage stress

·         Add healthy foods to your diet

·         Stay active

ACID Implantation - Manipal Hospital

What is an AICD?

AICD (Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators) is a device that a cardiologist implants into a patient’s chest to monitor his/her heart rate. An AICD treatment is generally used to treat patients with arrhythmia by correcting an abnormal heart rhythm.

An arrhythmiais a heart rhythm disorder that occur when electrical impulses, that regulate heartbeats, don’t function properly. It can cause the heart to beat too slow, too fast or irregularly.

An AICD implantationpasses electric shock to the heart to make it start beating normally again.

Although there are many types of AICDs, they all have 2 parts in common; a generator and electrodes. The electrodes are used to monitor heart’s electrical activity. The generator is like the brain of the AICDs. It stores information about any arrhythmias.

Who needs an AICD implantation?

A cardiologist may recommend you for AICD treatmentif:

·         You have an increased heart rhythm that cannot be treatedwith surgery.

·         You have an increased heart rhythm that cannot be managed with medications.

·         You have a medical history of cardiac arrest or abnormal heart rhythm.

·         You have severe side effects from medications.

·         You had at least one episode of Ventricular Fibrillation (Vfib) and Ventricular Tachycardia (VT).

What happens during an AICD implantation?

Before undergoing an AICD implantation, the doctors may perform electrophysiological study to decide whether the patient requires an AICD treatment or medications for the heart condition.

After sedating the patient, the surgeons make an incision in the upper chest area. Then, they create a ‘pocket’ in the chest to place the AICD device and connect it to the wires inserted through the veins into the heart. An arrhythmia will be then created to check if the device is working properly. The next day, the doctors will again the check the AICD system with a computer.

Recovery time after the AICD implantation is quite short, not longer than 3 or 4 days.After the implantation, the patient must follow recommended diet, routine and medications.

What are the precautions that one should take after AICD implantation?

Few precautions that a patient should take after AICD implantation are:

·         Watch out for excessive pain or inflammation over the wound and inform your doctor immediately.

·         Avoid excessive movement of the arm for at least one week after the implantation.

·         Avoid using mobile phones on the side of the AICD as it can affect the functioning of the device.

·         Do not miss your medications recommended by the doctor.

·         Do not miss your regular check-ups.

AICD implantation is a procedure that can help treat the life-threatening arrhythmia. So, choose the best heart care centre for your treatment. Some of the best AICD treatment hospitals are Apollo Hospitals, Manipal Hospitals and Narayan Health.