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Contact: Kristi Gooden, Baptist Hospital, 615-284-5446, kristi.gooden@baptisthospital.com
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE: A NEW EPIDEMIC IN THE UNITED STATES
Nashville, Tenn. – Feb. 15, 2010 – Nearly 5 million Americans have congestive heart failure. Despite success in treating blocks in arteries and other heart conditions that people are born with or develop as they age, heart failure is on the rise with an equal number of men and women affected.
Almost 1.4 million of individuals with heart failure are under the age of 60. Each year, there are more than 400,000 new cases diagnosed. Since heart failure is commonly associated with high blood pressure and diabetes, as more and more individuals develop these conditions, many will go on to develop heart failure. This increase in prevalence has made heart failure a new epidemic in the United States.
Heart patients are also surviving longer due to medications, surgery, balloon angioplasty or stents. However, as patients age and more arteries develop blocks, the likelihood of developing heart failure increases. As a consequence of the growing number of patients, the cost of treating with heart failure has sky-rocketed.
Heart failure is a progressive condition in which the heart muscle weakens due to injury from a heart attack, high blood pressure or other causes. As a result, the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet supply the body's tissues.
"The heart doesn't 'fail' in the sense of ceasing to beat," says Dr. Stacy Davis, cardiologist and director of the Congestive Heart Failure Center at Saint Thomas Heart at Baptist Hospital in Nashville. "Heart failure is an illness in which either the heart is too weak to pump blood forward or to stiff to fill properly. As a consequence, blood backs up into the lungs and shortness of breath, fatigue, and in some cases, swelling in the belly and the legs occurs. This can be treated with medications that slow heart failure progression.”
Davis also notes that, "In addition to problems with fluid, heart failure patients often develop heart rhythm problems that can be treated with special pacemakers that include defibrillators."
Patients with heart failure will gradually deteriorate if the symptoms of heart failure are left untreated. Initially, the heart can compensate for weakness by beating faster and enlarging. However, this phase of the disease doesn't last for long. Thus, recognition of conditions that lead to heart failure, as well as identifying symptoms early, is critical to successful treatment.
Heart failure is frequently brought on by another heart condition. Some of the major causes include:
• Coronary artery disease (narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart)
• High blood pressure (also known as hypertension)
• Abnormal heart muscle (known as cardiomyopathy which may run in the family or may be a new problem unique to the patient)
• Heart valve disease (narrowed or tight valves)
• Diabetes (often associated with coronary artery disease)
Heart failure becomes more common with advancing age. You are also at increased risk for developing heart failure if you are overweight, smoke cigarettes or abuse alcohol.
Since heart failure can progress rapidly, it is essential to consult a physician immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:
• Fatigue and shortness of breath during normal activities
• Difficulty breathing at night, sometimes causing awakening
• Asthma-like wheezing or a dry hacking cough that worsens with lying down, but improves with sitting up or standing.
• Unintended rapid weight loss or gain
• Progressive accumulation of fluid: in the feet, ankles, legs or abdomen
• Enlargement of the liver
If you experience the following symptoms, proceed immediately to the nearest emergency room:
• A cough that produces a pinkish froth; wheezing and a sensation of bubbling in the lungs; or a feeling of drowning
• Pale, clammy, or blue-tinged skin
Heart failure is best treated by a team approach. Saint Thomas Heart at Baptist Hospital accommodates its patients' unique needs by bringing together a team of cardiologists who focus on heart failure, coronary artery disease and heart rhythm problems along with a group of specially trained nurses in its Comprehensive Heart Failure Center. The center’s goal is to develop a treatment plan for each patient that involves the patient's family and makes heart failure education the cornerstone.
Baptist Hospital is a leader in cardiac care and is accredited as a Heart Failure Institute by the Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium. In addition, Baptist Hospital and Saint Thomas Heart at Baptist Hospital have been recognized by the HealthGrades 2010 quality study as ranked among the top three hospitals in Tennessee for cardiac surgery, top five hospitals in Tennessee for overall cardiac care, best in Nashville for overall cardiac care and five-star rated for coronary bypass surgery. For more information, visit www.baptisthospital.com or www.heartasone.com.
