If you have unexplainable fatigue or can’t walk up a flight of stairs without feeling short of breath, you may be one of the 5.7 million Americans with heart failure. Dr. Vikas Jindal at HeartPlace Baylor Heart & Vascular Hospital encourages you to come in for a thorough evaluation. Early diagnosis and treatment help stop heart failure from worsening, so please protect your health — contact his office to schedule a heart checkup. Dr. Jindal's office is conveniently located in the heart of Dallas, in the center between Oak Lawn, Uptown, the Design District, Kessler, Cedars, South Dallas/Fairpark, Old East Dallas, and Knox/Henderson. Call or request an appointment online today!
Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, occurs when your heart can’t pump enough blood to provide the oxygen and nutrients your body needs. You can develop heart failure when:
Even though heart failure doesn’t mean your heart will stop working any minute, it’s important to know that it is a chronic, progressive condition that continues to worsen without proper management.
People often develop heart failure after another health condition damages their heart. In some cases, the heart muscles become too stiff or stretch too much to work properly. The causes of heart failure include:
Treatment for heart failure is tailored to each patient, depending on the type of heart failure, the underlying cause, and your overall health. Dr. Jindal develops a plan that may incorporate any or all of the following:
Numerous medications can relieve heart failure, including:
Reducing sodium consumption, eating a balanced diet, staying active, losing weight if necessary, avoiding added sugars, and limiting alcohol are all-important steps for managing heart failure.
Heart failure may cause an irregular heartbeat. When this happens, a pacemaker, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can help keep your heart rate steady and decrease heart failure symptoms.
Heart surgery may help prevent further damage and improve your heart’s ability to pump blood. Operations for heart failure include coronary artery bypass graft, heart valve surgery, and ventricular restoration. When heart failure progresses to the stage where medications and lifestyle changes can’t help, a heart transplant may be necessary.
