How well do you take care of your heart? It’s an odd question, but there are many things that you do that impact the health of your heart.
A healthy diet and exercise are the keys to good heart health. Despite this, nearly half of adults in the U.S. suffer from some type of cardiovascular disease. In the U.S., nearly 5.7 million adults suffer from heart failure according to the CDC.
The term “heart failure” encompasses a spectrum of issues and symptoms. There are also different types of heart failure, each with its own causes. Keep reading to discover the different kinds of heart failure.
Causes of Heart Failure
Your diet and the amount of exercise you get play a vital role in your heart’s health. A sedentary lifestyle, along with diets rich in sodium and cholesterol, can negatively affect your heart.
Heart failure is typically the result of another disease or illness. The most common cause of heart failure is coronary artery disease. CAD causes the arteries to narrow, which supply blood and oxygen to the heart.
High blood pressure and previous heart attacks are also among the most common illnesses that can lead to heart failure. Along with these, there are also many others. If your doctor suspects you have heart failure, they will run some tests to determine the state of your heart.
The Different Types of Heart Failure
Heart failure may present itself in several different ways. Much of this is dependent upon which side of the heart suffers from the ailment. Below, we will look at how heart failure can present itself on different sides of the heart.
Left-Sided Heart Failure
Left-sided heart failure is the most common kind.
The left heart ventricle supplies the body with oxygen-rich blood. When the left ventricle doesn’t pump effectively, left-sided heart failure can occur. Blood backs into the lungs, which can cause shortness of breath and a buildup of fluid.
Right-Sided Heart Failure
This type of heart failure is caused by stress placed upon the right heart ventricle. The right ventricle sends blood to the lungs, which supplies the blood with oxygen. Heart failure here is usually caused by a failure on the left side. As blood accumulates in the lungs, the right ventricle is forced to work harder.
This heart failure can also be caused by lung disease, such as COPD. A symptom of right-sided heart failure is the swelling of the lower extremities. This is caused by a fluid backup.
Diastolic Heart Failure
This occurs when the heart muscle becomes stiffer than it ought to. This stiffness is primarily caused by heart disease, which prevents the heart from filling with blood easily. This can result in a lack of blood flow to other parts of your body.
Women are more at risk for this type of heart failure. If you are a woman and have had a heart attack, your risk for heart failure is increased.
Systolic Heart Failure
Systolic heart failure occurs when the heart weakens and doesn’t have the strength to contract properly. Because of this, blood cannot circulate through the body properly. High blood pressure, arrhythmias, and CAD can contribute to this type of heart failure.
Men are more susceptible to systolic heart failure than women.
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