Keep Your Heart Healthy and Strong

Using too many pillows during sleep, not sleeping flat or waking up at night can be a sign of heart failure. If these complaints, which seem innocent, are accompanied by fatigue, shortness of breath, fatigue and edema of the feet and bloating in the abdomen, a specialist should be consulted against the risk of heart failure. Memorial Atasehir Hospital, Department of Cardiology. given information about heart failure and precautions to be taken.

Risk is increasing day by day

Heart failure affects approximately 2.5 million people in Turkey. With the aging of the population, heart failure is becoming a bigger health problem. The number of people with heart failure is increasing day by day and is expected to double twice. Providing serious education to all segments of society is one of the most important steps in treatment.

Watch out if you use the high pillow!

Complaints that seem innocent in the beginning, such as using more than one pillow while sleeping, panting while sleeping or resting, fatigue while shopping, climbing stairs are among the first symptoms of heart failure.

Wake up often tired

Breathing difficulty lying flat

Pulling up the body to breathe

Starting to narrow shoes due to payment starting at ankles

Fluid collection in the abdomen

Symptoms such as liver growth may be added.

In cases where one or more of these symptoms are experienced, it is vital to see a doctor immediately. It should be remembered that similar symptoms may be caused by different diseases.

Even the flu you don't care about can cause heart failure

High blood pressure, diabetes, chemotherapy, heart attack, cardiovascular and valve disorders can lead to heart failure. The majority of patients with heart failure are people with cardiovascular disease. However, sometimes even ignored flu, whose treatment is ignored, can be the beginning of the process leading to heart failure. Some subtypes of the influenza virus because flu can cause inflammation in the heart muscle called pericarditis. Inflammation in all tissues up to the heart membrane, heart muscle and the inner parts of the heart can cause heart failure for a while. In this process, heart failure may become permanent without early diagnosis and rapid treatment.

The edgiest step of treatment is your lifestyle

In the treatment of heart failure; different methods such as medication, cardiac valve repair, a pacemaker can be applied. Depending on the type of heart failure and the condition of the patient, the roadmap used in the treatment may change. Drugs and devices cover only part of the treatment. Attention to the lifestyle of patients is the most important step in treatment. Daily weight monitoring is one of the most important issues for patients with heart failure. Because of the accumulation of fluid in the body of these patients, it is necessary to know the amount of fluid accumulated and how much diuretic medication should be discarded. Since diuretic drugs should be adjusted for daily weight monitoring, patients should be weighed every morning after urinating. Cigarettes and tobacco products should be left strictly. Daily salt intake is also vital to control. It should not be forgotten that salt has a negative effect on blood pressure and holds water in the body. In order to maintain weight control, it should be paid attention to the Mediterranean-type diet by staying away from saturated trans fats. Preventing cardiac rehabilitation instead of heavy exercises, avoiding alcohol, influenza and pneumonia vaccines in consultation with a doctor is among the measures that can be taken.