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Cardiology
Physicians
Centers of Excellence
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Treatment Center
The Women’s Cardiovascular Health and Wellness Program
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Center
Thoracic Aortic Vascular Treatment Center
Heart Failure Treatment Center
Premier Services
General Cardiology
Interventional Cardiology
Electrophysiology
Nuclear Cardiology
Echocardiography
Cardiac Rehabilitation
From the Desk of Kevin Marzo, MD-Chief Of Cardiology
Contact Us
Heart Failure Treatment Center
259 First Street
Mineola, NY 11501
1-516-663-0333
1-866-WINTHROP
Click on links below to learn more
What is Heart Failure?
What cases Heart Failure?
Symptoms of Heart Failure
Treatment of Heart Failure
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Heart Failure Treatment Center
What is Heart Failure?
Heart Failure is a chronic condition in
which a diseased heart decreases a person's ability to be as physically
active as they should be. The blood is not being pumped efficiently by
the heart which causes fluid buildup in the lungs and the other body
tissues. Heart failure can involve the heart's left side, right side, or
both sides. The left side is usually affected first. Heart failure is a
long-term condition that gradually gets worse. The heart tries to make
up for the loss of pumping capacity by doing three things initially:
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Enlarging- to pump blood more efficiently
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Developing more muscle mass- the heart pumps more strongly
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Pumping faster- to increase the heart's output
Left-sided heart failure is also known as
left-ventricular heart failure. If the ventricle loses its ability to
contract, it is known as systolic failure; the heart is unable to pump
forcefully enough to get enough blood into circulation. If the ventricle
loses its ability to relax, known as diastolic failure, the muscle is
stiff, and the heart won't properly fill with blood during the resting
cycle. The blood coming into the left chamber backs up and causes fluid
to leak into the lungs. This is called pulmonary edema. The slow blood
flow also causes edema or excess fluid all over the body. The fluid is
also called congestion. This is where we get the term "congestive heart
failure" or CHF.
Right-sided heart failure is known as right-ventricular heart failure.
This usually occurs as a result of left-sided failure. The back up of
fluid from the left side damages the right ventricle because the
pressure is too great.
What Causes Heart Failure?
Congestive Heart Failure is a weakening
of the heart (a pump), which can be caused by an underlying heart or
blood vessel problem. Sometimes several factors occur together
which weaken the heart. The causes or heart failure are many and can
include:
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Weakened heart muscle
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Damaged heart valves
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Blocked blood vessels supplying the
heart muscle (coronary arteries), leading to a heart attack
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Toxic exposures, like alcohol or
cocaine
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Infections
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High blood pressure that results in
thickening of the heart muscle (left ventricular hypertrophy)
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Pericardial disease, such as
pericardial effusion (a large collection of fluid around the
heart in the space between the heart muscle and the thick layer
of pericardium surrounding the heart) and/or a thickened
pericardium, which does not allow the heart to fill properly
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Congenital heart diseases
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Prolonged, serious arrhythmias
Symptoms of Heart Failure
Many patients have several of the
symptoms listed below. Many other medical conditions can present
with these symptoms, so it is best to seek medical attention when
these symptoms occur.
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Breathless
with exertion
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Breathlessness when lying flat
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Fatigue,
Tiredness, Weakness
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Shortness of
breath
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Cough
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Fluid
accumulation
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Generalized
edema
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Swollen legs
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Swollen feet
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Swollen
ankles
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Lung
congestion
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Abnormal
weight gain
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Persistent
coughing
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Coughing up
small amounts of blood
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Raspy
breathing
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Wheezing
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Night
urination
Treatment of Heart Failure
Heart
failure is treated in several ways. The goal of
the Heart Failure Treatment Center at Winthrop is to reduce symptoms and delay
progression of the disease, reduce hospitalization, extend and
improve the quality of life.
There are three main groups of drugs, which are used to treat heart
failure: angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, diuretics
and beta blockers.
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ACE inhibitors help dilate arteries
and lower blood pressure, and thus improve heart and circulation
function.
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Beta-blockers can improve the
function of the left ventricle and may help prevent heart rhythm
problems.
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Diuretics keep fluid from
building up in the body and decrease the amount of fluid in the
lungs, which aids breathing.
In selected cases, heart failure can be treated by surgery, such
as valve replacement or repair, coronary artery bypass surgery,
or even transplantation.
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