Once heart failure has been diagnosed, the goal of treatment is to slow progression of the heart failure and maintain quality of life for as long as possible. To this end, a number of effective medications are available today that either directly strengthen the contractile force of the heart muscle, indirectly make it easier for the heart muscle to work, or combat secondary symptoms of heart failure such as water retention in the lungs and legs. In most cases, several medications with different modes of action must be taken simultaneously to achieve the desired success.
Cardiac catheterization, bypass, and heart transplantation.
Depending on the underlying disease, specific measures are used, for example, balloon dilatation of the coronary arteries by cardiac catheterization or bypass surgery for coronary artery disease, surgical correction or insertion of an artificial heart valve for heart (valve) defects.
The last available therapeutic option for severe heart failure is heart transplantation. With modern drugs to suppress rejection, the success rate of this procedure has increased significantly in recent years.
Proper diet and moderate exercise are important
No matter what measures are used: For a successful therapy, the affected person must observe the following points – the details are determined individually with the treating physician:
- Restricting daily fluid intake to help the heart muscle pump and prevent water retention.
- Low salt diet to reduce water retention.
- Refrain from excessive alcohol consumption and nicotine consumption.
- Regular physical activity without overexerting yourself physically
- Daily weight control if you have a tendency to water retention.
- Regular intake of prescribed medication
- Regular follow-up examinations with the attending physician
Characteristically, there are significant fluctuations in the symptoms of heart failure. Even if it succeeds through medication to bring the disturbed balance of the cardiovascular system back into balance, there are always phases with a significant increase in complaints. The acute crises, usually associated with severe respiratory distress in the patient, can often only be controlled in hospital by intensifying the medication.
Prognosis
It is known from numerous medical studies that a person’s lifespan depends directly on the strength of his or her heart. Particularly in the case of highly impaired performance of the heart muscle, the affected person is at high risk of sudden cardiac death, triggered by acute heart failure or by serious cardiac arrhythmias.
In addition, even with optimal therapy, heart failure is a chronic process that regresses only in exceptional cases, but usually progresses. It is therefore considered a therapeutic success if the symptoms remain constant for years. In individual cases, it is not easy to make reliable predictions about the further course of the disease.
Preventive measures
Anything that can be used to prevent other cardiovascular diseases or favorably influence their course will also help prevent heart failure. These include abstaining from smoking and alcohol, regulating body weight, and regular physical activity. But psychological stress factors should also be kept in check.
In some genetic forms of myocardial disease, however, the course of the disease can hardly be influenced by preventive measures, if at all. If underlying diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia or gout are present, they must be treated with diet and medication.
In the case of newly occurring or already expired valvular heart infections, antibiotics must – after consultation with your physician – be taken as a preventive measure before dental treatments, endoscopies and other interventions in some cases.