Heart failure can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and edema. Treatment includes medication, lifestyle modifications, and surgical intervention. Commonly used medications include diuretics, beta-blockers, and ACE inhibitors. Lifestyle modifications include a low-sodium diet, moderate exercise, and quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption. Surgical interventions may involve cardiac resynchronization therapy, heart transplantation, or implantation of a ventricular assist device. The causes of heart failure include myocardial injury, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, requiring targeted treatment based on the specific cause.
1. Drug treatment: Diuretics such as furosemide can reduce edema, beta-blockers such as metoprolol can reduce cardiac load, and ACE inhibitors such as enalapril can improve cardiac function. These medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor, and their efficacy and side effects should be monitored regularly.
2. Lifestyle adjustments: A low-salt diet helps reduce fluid retention, moderate exercise such as walking and swimming can enhance cardiopulmonary function, and quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. These measures need to be adhered to long-term to gradually improve quality of life.
3. Surgical intervention: Cardiac resynchronization therapy is suitable for patients with asynchronous cardiac electrical activity; heart transplantation is suitable for patients with end-stage heart failure; and ventricular assist device implantation can be used as a bridging therapy before heart transplantation. The choice of surgery should be based on the patient's specific condition and the doctor's advice.
The causes of heart failure are complex, including myocardial damage such as myocardial infarction and myocarditis, increased cardiac workload due to hypertension, and myocardial ischemia caused by coronary artery disease. Treatment plans vary depending on the cause. For example, patients with myocardial infarction require coronary intervention, patients with hypertension need to control their blood pressure, and patients with coronary artery disease need to improve myocardial blood supply.
Treatment of heart failure requires a comprehensive approach, considering medication, lifestyle modifications, and surgery. Patients need to develop individualized treatment plans under the guidance of a doctor, undergo regular follow-ups, and adjust treatment strategies as needed. Through comprehensive treatment, patients can effectively improve their symptoms, enhance their quality of life, and extend their survival.