The Distinction Between Acute And Chronic Heart Failure

Heart failure or sometimes referred to as congestive heart failure occurs when the heart muscle does not pump blood as it should. However, this does not mean that your heart stops beating, your heart is still beating but cannot fulfill the oxygen supply to the rest of the body.

In general, heart failure is a chronic condition, which means it develops over many years. Symptoms may not be felt early in its development, but over time it can worsen in the absence of treatment and care.

Symptoms

The spectrum of symptoms of heart failure is diverse, ranging from mild symptoms that only occur with strenuous physical activity to symptoms that appear even at rest.

The most common symptoms are:

1.Shortness of breath, commonly triggered by physical activity, lying down, or during sleep

2.Easy fatigue

3.Swelling in the legs or abdomen

Other symptoms are:

1.Coughing

2.Feeling dizzy or often fainting

3.Loss of appetite

4.Weight loss (in advanced heart failure)

5.Pounding

6.Nausea and gas

Diagnosis

To make a diagnosis, the doctor will conduct a history of the patient's symptoms, a physical examination, and a supporting examination. In addition to making a diagnosis, the doctor will also try to find the exact cause of this condition.

Common supporting examinations include:

50. Elektrokardiogram (ECG): An ECG records the electrical activity of the heart and can provide an initial picture of the condition of the heart chambers and lead to an initial suspicion of the cause of heart failure.
50. Foto thoracic: provides an initial picture of the shape and size of the heart and large blood vessels in the chest cavity, as well as looking at fluid buildup in the lungs that can occur in patients with heart failure
50. General blood test
50. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro BNP (NT-proBNP): A hormone that increases due to stretching of the heart chambers in heart failure.
50. Echocardiography: uses ultrasound waves to evaluate the size and function of the heart chambers and assess the structure and function of the heart valves.

The doctor may also conduct follow-up examinations according to each patient's condition. These include cardiac catheterization, physical exercise test, cardiac CT scan, cardiac MRI, and cardiac nuclear scan.

Both acute heart failure and chronic heart failure need to be watched out for. Seek immediate medical attention if you feel chest pain, irregular heartbeat accompanied by shortness of breath, weakness and loss of consciousness.

Heart failure may not be curable, but its symptoms can be prevented with healthy lifestyle changes and eating a healthy diet. See a doctor immediately if you notice any symptoms related to heart failure so that the doctor can provide early treatment and care.

References

1. Kurmani S, Squire I. Acute Heart Failure: Definition, Classification and Epidemiology. Current Heart Failure Reports. 2017;14(5):385-392. doi:10.1007/s11897-017-0351-y
2. Acute Heart Failure: Types, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed June 29, 2022.
3. Heart Failure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published September 8, 2020. Accessed June 29, 2022.
4. Heart Failure – What Is Heart Failure? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Published March 24, 2022. Accessed June 29, 2022.
5. Heidenreich PA, Bozkurt B, Aguilar D, et al. 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2022;145(18). doi:10.1161/cir.0000000000001063
6. Understanding Heart Failure. Cleveland Clinic. Published 2015. Accessed June 29, 2022.
7. Malik A, Brito D, Vaqar S, Chhabra L. Heart Failure, Congestive (CHF). National Library of Medicine. Published 2018. Accessed June 29, 2022.
8. Hajouli S, Ludhwani D. Heart Failure And Ejection Fraction. NIH | National Library of Medicine. Published January 18, 2020. Accessed June 29, 2022.