Complications of CHF:
Through the Mayo clinic as a reference regarding complications their website stated: “If you have heart failure, your outlook depends on the cause and the severity, your overall health, and other factors such as your age. Complications can include:
Kidney damage or failure.
Heart failure can reduce the blood flow to your kidneys, which can eventually cause kidney failure if left untreated. Kidney damage from heart failure can require dialysis for treatment.
Heart valve problems.
The valves of your heart, which keep blood flowing in the proper direction through your heart, may not function properly if your heart is enlarged, or if the pressure in your heart is very high due to heart failure.
Liver damage.
Heart failure can lead to a buildup of fluid that puts too much pressure on the liver. This fluid backup can lead to scarring, which makes it more difficult for your liver to function properly.
Stroke.
Because blood flow through the heart is slower in heart failure than in a normal heart, it’s more likely you’ll develop blood clots, which can increase your risk of having a stroke.
Some people’s symptoms and heart function will improve with proper treatment. However, heart failure can be life-threatening. People with heart failure may have severe symptoms, and some may require heart transplantation or support with an artificial heart device.”
Tips on CHF:
See your doctor regularly in evaluating your CHF.
Closely follow your doctor’s instructions, being compliant with the instructions and taking your meds.
Immediately call your doctor of any significant change in your condition, such as an intensified shortness of breath or swollen feet or weight gain of 3lbs or more within one week.
Control your weight in making it easier for your heart, that’s in failure, to function better (less stress).
Watch what you eat and how much. Watch the diet intake of cholesterol and sodium that can cause a negative impact on the heart by causing stress to the organ through either high B/P=high sodium intake that causes vasoconstriction or high cholesterol intake frequently that commonly causes blockage in an artery. Both high sodium or high cholesterol cause diminishing of oxygenated blood getting to the heart. Without oxygen to our tissues or cells this causes tissue & cellular starvation (ischemia). What is starvation to the heart=ischemia to the heart=chest pain (what we call angina). Take a brittle diabetic, the furthest area from the heart is the feet the first area to experience starvation is the toes, foot or lower extremity which is why this is usually the first to be amputated if necessary (you usually see an upper extremity amputated due to trauma not disease).
Limit or stop alcohol consumption as your doctor informs you.
Of course, stop smoking permanently if actively smoking.
The best defense against heart failure is PREVENTION! Almost all the cardiac risk factors can be controlled by eliminating the bad unhealthy habits (smoking, obese, high cholesterol, high B/P, diabetes).
Going to the doctor can be stressful but know he is there for you. It is hard to remember everything you want to ask the doctor with everything you hear at your visit. It helps to prepare a list of questions you may have and bring it with you at your appointment to address to the concerns you listed to the doctor. In doing this it helps you with your appointment so you can record the answers by listing them on the paper you have. Before you leave the doctor’s office, be sure you understand your condition, its treatment, including any medications your taking this doctor that he or sheprescribed for you with that doctor knowing any other medications you may be on through a different doctor to prevent side effects or adverse reactions occurring but if you forget this about the medications there is always your pharmacist you can ask, than your personal M.D. later. With you knowing all this information you will see why it is so vital for you doing all these actions or interventions for your disease that your doctor prescribed or ordered and you’re more out to follow them as well with understanding the whole picture about the treatment for CHF.
If you are needing any guidance in how to lose weight through using all 4 food groups, with assistance in what to eat now to lose weight till you are in therapeutic range for your height rather than eating food from the market or if you need to understand how the body works with food and metabolism with where activity comes into play go to healthyusa.tsfl.com. See what we can provide you in answering all these questions for you through Dr. Anderson and myself as your coach free. SO LIVE AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE IN YOUR ROUTINE HABITS, YOUR DIETING OF THE 4 FOOD GROUPS, MAINTAINING YOUR WEIGHT IN A THEREPEUTIC RANGE (look as calculating BMI online for free to find out what your weight range for your height is), and BALANCING REST WITH EXERCISE TO HELP DECREASE THE CHANCE OF GETTING HEART FAILURE. Go to healthyusa.tsfl.com to learn what Dr. Anderson through his book of “Dr. A.’s Healthy Habits” and me (for free) as your health coach could provide you with. Just take a view of what can be offered to you for no price with no hacking go to healthyusa.tsfl.com and take a peek;) Join me like many who are trying to live life healthier with making America a healthier home and we all should take part to help the health care system to be more effective for our society. Recommended to anyone with disease before changing your diet, activity/exercise program review your changes with your doctor to get clearance first to maintain your safety.
We can fulfill this goal, the one step America is by getting healthier (through diet, exercise, and living healthier habits) which would impact cardiac disease by decreasing it in time which would decrease congestive heart failure. Learn more about CHF on striveforgoodhealth.com with learning how to reach this goal. Let us the people of America take part on decreasing disease and not just leave it the health care or government’s hands. Look at the results already and we the society need to take be responsible in being better for ourselves, our children and our future generations.