There are various causes of heart failure and things that are at risk of causing heart failure. By knowing what are the causes of heart failure and risk factors that, you can avoid and anticipate this condition.
Heart failure is a condition when the heart is unable to pump blood and oxygen effectively to all the organs in the body that need it. As a result, many body organ functions will be disrupted.
This condition can be recognized by the appearance of several symptoms of heart failure, such as:
- Shortness of breath, especially when doing physical activity or when lying down.
- Swelling in the body, for example in the ankles.
- Heart beating fast.
- Tired quickly, especially after exercising or doing certain physical activities.
- Decreased appetite.
- Pee more often at night.
- Coughs that don't get better and feel worse at night.
- Difficulty focusing and concentrating.
If you feel these symptoms, see a doctor immediately. Because these symptoms can also occur due to other diseases, a doctor's examination is needed to determine the cause.
Causes and Things-Hal that can increase the risk of heart failure
Heart failure is a condition that occurs as a result of a chronic disease that makes the heart stiff, weak, overworked in the long term, or undergoes structural damage, such as heart muscle or valves. Diseases that cause heart failure can come from the heart or other organs.
The following are a number of conditions that can cause heart failure:
1. Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of heart failure.
This heart disease arises due to a blockage (plaque) that blocks the heart's blood vessels, so that blood flow to the heart is not smooth. As a result, the heart muscle will be damaged due to lack of oxygen supply, so the heart cannot pump blood properly. This is what makes people with coronary heart disease at risk for heart failure.
2. Hypertension
When the pressure in the blood vessels is too high, the heart needs to work harder to pump blood so that its supply to all organs of the body is met. If high blood pressure is not treated, the heart muscle will work harder to pump blood.
If the workload of the heart is excessive due to having to pump blood more strongly, over time the heart muscle can become stiffer, so that the ability of the heart to pump blood will be disrupted.
3. Heart valves are damaged
The circulatory system in the body can be likened to a one-way street. The part of the heart that is responsible for ensuring that blood flow to and from the heart does not reverse are the heart valves. Therefore, when there is damage to the heart valves, blood flow can be blocked and cause heart problems.
Blocked blood flow due to heart valve abnormalities will make the heart work extra. Over time, the heart that is forced to work hard will weaken and cause the heart to no longer be able to pump blood normally, resulting in heart failure.
4. Diabetes
People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing heart failure. This risk will be even greater if the blood sugar levels of diabetics are not controlled or tend to be high.
There are several reasons why diabetes plays a role in causing heart failure. One of them is because diabetes can cause damage to the blood vessels of the heart and kidneys, so that the function of the heart is disrupted over time.
Another reason is because high blood sugar makes the blood thick and thick, so the heart has to work extra to pump blood throughout the body. These things put diabetics at risk for heart failure.
5. Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is a condition when the heart rhythm is abnormal, either too fast, too slow, or irregular. When the heart rhythm is abnormal, this condition will interfere with overall heart function, including the heart's ability to pump blood.
6. Abnormalities or damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)
Heart muscle has a big role in pumping blood. If the heart muscle is damaged, it will be difficult for the heart to pump blood properly. As a result, the blood supply to the body's organs will be disrupted.
Damage to the heart muscle can be caused by many things, including congenital factors, inflammation of the heart muscle, connective tissue disorders, to chronic hypertension.
7. Myocarditis
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle which is usually caused by a viral infection. In addition to viral infections, myocarditis can also be caused by parasitic and fungal infections, as well as autoimmune diseases. Inflammation that occurs can interfere with heart function, including making the heart no longer able to pump blood effectively.
8. Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is a condition when thyroid hormone levels in the blood are high. High levels of this thyroid can cause various health problems. One of them is to trigger the heart to beat faster. If left untreated, over time the rapidly beating heart can weaken and lead to heart failure.
9. Congenital heart disease
If there is an abnormality in the valves or heart muscle due to a congenital heart defect, the healthy part of the heart needs to work harder to circulate blood to the various organs of the body. This increased heart burden can eventually cause the heart to fail to function properly.
In addition to the above conditions, the inability of the heart to pump blood can also be caused by pulmonary hypertension, anemia, obesity, kidney disease, side effects of drugs, allergies, infections, and blood clots in the lungs.
You are also more at risk for heart failure if you have any of the following conditions:
- 65 years of age or older.
- Have a history of heart disease or a heart attack.
- Smoke.
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Have excess weight.
- Rarely exercise.
- Rarely eat a balanced nutritious diet.
Quite a lot of people do not realize that they are at high risk of heart failure. To prevent heart failure, you need to regularly check your health condition with a cardiologist, especially if you have the above conditions or diseases.
In addition to conducting an examination, the doctor will also explain what efforts you can take to maintain the health of your heart and other organs.
Heart failure should be prevented as early as possible, because this disease cannot be completely cured. If you already have heart failure, the only treatment that can be done is to reduce the workload of the heart and help the sufferer to be able to carry out daily activities.
