Heart failure (HF) is a condition in which a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. The phrase is often incorrectly used to describe other cardiac-related illnesses, such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) or cardiac arrest. Common causes of heart failure include myocardial infarction and other forms of ischemic heart disease, hypertension, valvular heart disease and cardiomyopathy. Heart failure can cause a large variety of symptoms such as shortness of breath (typically worse when lying flat, which is called orthopnea), coughing, ankle swelling and exercise intolerance.
Causes of Heart Failure:
- Cardiovascular disease can take many forms: high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, stroke, or rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease.
- According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease causes 12 million deaths in the world each year.Cardiovascular disease is responsible for half of all deaths in the United States and other developed countries, and it is a main cause of death in many developing countries as well.
- Overall, it is the leading cause of death in adults. Researchers have found certain risk factors that play an important role in a person's chances of developing heart disease.
Risk factors are divided into two categories: Major and Contributing. Major risk factors are those that increase the risk of heart disease. Contributing risk factors are those that doctors think can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, but their exact role has not been defined. Some of the major risk factors are:
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): High blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. The risk of heart disease or stroke greatly increases for the patients of obese, smokers. Note: Blood pressure can vary with activities and with age, but a healthy adult who is resting generally has a systolic pressure reading between 120 and 130 and a diastolic pressure reading between 80 and 90 (or below).
High Blood Cholesterol. One of the major risk factors for heart disease is high blood cholesterol. Cholesterol, a fat-like substance carried in your blood, is found in all of your body's cells. Your liver produces all of the cholesterol your body needs to form cell membranes and to make certain hormones. Extra cholesterol enters your body when you eat foods that come from animals (meats, eggs, and dairy products).
