Heart Failure
By: Jazmin Ramirez
What is Heart Failure?
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include:
-Shortness of breath when you exert yourself or when you lie down
-Fatigue and weakness
-Swelling in your legs, ankles and feet
-Rapid or irregular heartbeat
-Reduced ability to exercise
-Persistent cough or wheezing with pink or white-blood-tinged phlegm
-Increased need to urinate at night
-Swelling of abdomen
-Lack of appetite and nausea
-Sudden severe shortness of breath and coughing up pink foamy mucus
-Chest pain (if caused by heart attack)
Causes?
Risk Factors
A single risk factor can be enough to cause heart failure, but a combination of factors also increases it. Some factors include:
-High blood pressure (your heart works harder)
-Coronary artery disease (narrowed arteries may limit your heart's supply of oxygen)
-Alcohol use (drinking too much alcohol can weaken heart muscles)
-Diabetes (increases your risk of high blood pressure and coronary artery disease
-Obesity
So, what can I do to prevent Heat Failure?
Lifestyle changes you can make:
-Not smoking
-Controlling certain, such as high blood pressure and diabetes
-Staying physically active
-Eating healthy foods
-Maintaining a healthy weight
-Reducing and managing stress