.jpg?n=6693 "New Heart Failure banner")
Introduction
Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped working. Heart failure refers to a large number of conditions which affect the structure or function of the heart, making it harder and harder for the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body’s needs. Use this condition center to learn more about heart failure, become familiar with the 5 questions you should ask your doctor once you've been diagnosed, and understand what you can do to become or stay as healthy as possible.
Use the links at the left of the screen (or scroll down) to access different features of this condition center.
Back to Top
Learn About Heart Failure
|
Heart failure occurs when one or more of the heart’s four chambers lose its ability to maintain proper blood flow. This can happen because the heart can’t fill well enough with blood or because the heart can’t contract strongly enough to propel the blood with enough force to maintain proper circulation. In some people, both filling and contraction problems can occur. |
Learn More About Heart Failure:
Back to Top
Questions to Ask Your Cardiologist
If you’ve been diagnosed with heart failure, there are several key questions that you should ask your cardiologist during your next visit. These questions will ensure that you and your doctor have discussed your major risk factors so that you can become or stay as healthy as possible.
- What medicines do I need to take and for how long?
- How often should I weigh myself and what should I do if I start gaining weight?
- What should I eat and what should I avoid?
- How much fluid should I drink?
- Do I need a defibrillator or pacemaker?
- What kind of activities can I perform and what should I avoid?
|
|
Back to Top
News
.GIF "News image")
|
Stay up-to-date with the most recent advances in cardiovascular disease by learning what your doctor is reading. The news articles featured here are always presented from the perspective of the physicians and healthcare specialists that have dedicated their lives to helping others stay heart healthy. Want to receive CardioSmart News updates by e-mail?
Log in
or
Sign up
now! |
Back to Top
Helpful Links
Below are some helpful links to help you learn more about your condition and how to manage your risk factors:
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Heart Failure
Heart Failure Society of America
Back to Top
Video Library
Back to Top
Please note that the content on CardioSmart attempts to define practices that meet the needs of most patients in most circumstances. However, everyone is unique, and the extent to which the information applies specifically to you should be a key point of discussion between you and your cardiologist or health care provider. The ultimate judgment regarding your care must be made by you and your healthcare provider together, in light of circumstances specific to you as a patient.