Heart Disease or Heart Failure

It has become an accepted way of life when we hear of the dreaded heart failure. Approximately over 5.7 million citizens of United States are in the grip of the disorder and 300,000 fatalities are caused by it annually. Heart failure does not imply that the vital organ has ceased to function or is about to do so. Rather, the condition is a progressive one, with the heart growing weaker with each passing year. Simply put, it is a crippled disability of this vital organ to pump blood. Blood carries oxygen to all the other parts of the body and keeps them ticking. In the absence of or disruption in the normal functioning, oxygen does not reach where it should and impedes the efficiency of all the organs.

Heart Failure or Heart Disease

Human body works as a system - the different parts work together in close synchronization. The slightest malfunctioning of one is reflected in others too. The heart and the brain are probably the most important hubs of the body. Man's life changes considerably in case he is afflicted with a cardiac disease.

Left-Sided Heart Failure or Heart Disease

The heart is so constructed that every part has to work in tandem with the other to ensure the proper blood circulation throughout the body. With the contraction and dilation of the thick muscles of the heart squirt the blood out. There are four chambers of the heart - two atriums (upper) and two ventricles (lower). The right side of the organ pumps blood to the lungs where it is enriched with oxygen. It also receives de-oxygenated blood from the body. The left side accepts purified blood from the lungs and forces it out to the different parts of the body. Both of them are of immense importance. Left heart failure causes disruption in aortic blood flow whereas, the right heart failure affects pulmonic flow. Signs of both, right heart failure and left heart failure are distinctive enough to be easily recognized.

Right-Sided Heart Failure or Heart Disease

Lack of clear understanding of what brings on heart failure has complicated matters. The common causes may include:

Genetics, family history
Faulty life style, diet, exercise regimen, obesity
Hypertension, high blood pressure, emotional imbalances
Weakened cardiac muscles
Diabetes
Intake of alcohol, drugs, excessive smoking

Symptoms that indicate a heart failure can be so diverse that it becomes difficult to accurately associate them with the cardiac disease. The frequently witnessed symptoms are swelling in the ankle, feet, abdomen, and veins of the neck, coughing, shortness of breath specially while reclining and increase in fatigue on exertion. Generally the problems connected to the heart worsen with advancing age.

A few precautions could not only keep heart failures away but also improve the quality of life:

Quit smoking, drug abuse and alcohol intake
Try to maintain a steady diurnal routine
Have an open communication with family and friends
Regulate your diet, fat, fluid and salt consumption
Be regular in taking medication, especially those affecting the heart
Undergo regular medical check -ups, more so after a certain age

Ask your medical questions for heart disease with Health Care MD at www.askonlinedoctor.com