Fixing A Broken Heart: How Your Cardiologist In Singapore Can Help You Manage Heart Failure
When your heart is not able to pump enough blood to supply much-needed oxygen and nutrients throughout your body, you are in heart failure.
In most people, heart failure is a chronic disease that has no cure. If you have chronic heart failure, your cardiologist will help you manage the effects of the disease.
What causes heart failure? What are signs that you have heart failure? Below are helpful information about heart failure and the role of your cardiologist in helping you treat or manage the disease.
The 3 Most Common Causes Of Heart Failure
The three most common causes of heart failure are coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathy and high blood pressure.
- Coronary heart disease. Your cardiologist will explain that coronary heart disease occurs when the heart arteries narrow or get blocked. This restricts the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. A heart attack occurs when the coronary artery is completely blocked.
- Cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscles. It can be the result of coronary heart disease or a primary heart muscle disorder that can be genetic. Sometimes, we can't find the cause of cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy causes the heart muscle to weaken, leading to heart failure.
- High blood pressure. Your cardiologist would recommend monitoring your blood pressure. High blood pressure tends to make the heart work harder to pump blood, leading to heart failure.
Common Signs Of Heart Failure
Visiting your cardiologist will help you identify common signs of heart failure, which include:
- Frequent coughing, especially when lying down
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Dizziness or fainting
- Swollen feet (a sign of oedema)
- Pain in the abdomen
If you have any of these symptoms, see your cardiologist immediately. They will confirm if indeed these are tell-tale signs you have heart failure. Your cardiologist might do a physical exam and review your medical history. They might also request imaging tests like an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram (heart ultrasound scan), chest radiograph among others to confirm if you have heart failure.
If your cardiologist confirms heart failure, your regular doctor will be able to help you treat or manage the disease.
Heart failure treatment usually includes switching to a healthier lifestyle and medication. Reducing salt intake, taking 30-minute walks every day, or other physical activities will help.
When heart failure is severe, the heart muscle may become damaged to the point that none of these treatments work. Your cardiologist may recommend a mechanical assist device or heart transplantation.
See your cardiologist in Singapore for heart failure today and get a chance to heal, if not manage, your broken heart.
