A nurse has just admitted a patient with a medical diagnosis of congestive heart failure
DiagnosisTo diagnose heart failure, your doctor will take a careful medical history, review your symptoms and perform a physical examination. Your doctor will also check to see if you have risk factors for heart failure, such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease or diabetes. Show
Your doctor can listen to your lungs for signs of fluid buildup (lung congestion) and your heart for whooshing sounds (murmurs) that may suggest heart failure. The doctor may examine the veins in your neck and check for fluid buildup in your abdomen and legs. After the physical exam, your doctor may also order some of these tests:
Results of tests to diagnose heart failure help doctors determine the cause of any signs and symptoms and decide on a treatment plan. To determine the best treatment for heart failure, doctors may classify heart failure using two systems: New York Heart Association classification This scale groups heart failure into four categories.
American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association classification This stage-based classification system uses letters A to D and includes a category for people who are at risk of developing heart failure. Doctors use this classification system to identify risk factors and begin early, more aggressive treatment to help prevent or delay heart failure.
Your doctor often will use both classification systems together to help decide the most appropriate treatment options. Your doctor can help you interpret your score and plan your treatment based on your condition. More Information
TreatmentHeart failure is a chronic disease needing lifelong management. However, with treatment, signs and symptoms of heart failure can improve, and the heart sometimes becomes stronger. Doctors sometimes can correct heart failure by treating the underlying cause. For example, repairing a heart valve or controlling a fast heart rhythm may reverse heart failure. But for most people, treatment of heart failure involves a balance of the right medications and, sometimes, use of devices that help the heart beat and contract properly. MedicationsDoctors usually treat heart failure with a combination of medications. Depending on your symptoms, you might take one or more medications, including:
Your doctor may need to adjust your doses frequently, especially when you've just started a new medication or when your condition is worsening. You may be admitted to the hospital if you have a flare-up of heart failure symptoms. While in the hospital, you may receive additional medications to help your heart pump better and relieve your symptoms. You may also receive supplemental oxygen through a mask or small tubes placed in your nose. If you have severe heart failure, you may need to use supplemental oxygen for a long time. Surgery or other proceduresSurgery or other procedures to implant cardiac devices may be recommended to treat the underlying problem that led to heart failure. Surgery or other procedures for heart failure may include:
Palliative care and end-of-life careYour doctor may recommend including palliative care in your treatment plan. Palliative care is specialized medical care that focuses on easing your symptoms and improving your quality of life. Anyone who has a serious or life-threatening illness can benefit from palliative care, either to treat symptoms of the disease, such as pain or shortness of breath, or to ease the side effects of treatment, such as fatigue or nausea. It's possible that your heart failure may worsen to the point where medications are no longer working and a heart transplant or device isn't an option. If this occurs, you may need hospice care. Hospice care provides a special course of treatment to terminally ill people. Hospice care allows family and friends — with the aid of nurses, social workers and trained volunteers — to care for and comfort a loved one at home or in hospice residences. Hospice care provides emotional, psychological, social and spiritual support for people who are ill and those closest to them. Hospice care is available in your own home or in nursing homes and assisted living centers. For people who stay in a hospital, specialists in end-of-life care can provide comfort, compassionate care and dignity. Although it can be difficult, discussing end-of-life issues with your family and medical team is important. Part of this discussion will likely involve advance care directives — a general term for oral and written instructions you give concerning your medical care should you become unable to speak for yourself. If you have an ICD, one important consideration to discuss with your family and doctors is whether it should be turned off so that it can't deliver shocks to make your heart continue beating. More Information
Sign up for free, and receive heart transplant and heart failure content, plus expertise on heart health. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your
email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the
e-mail. Clinical trialsExplore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition. Lifestyle and home remediesMaking lifestyle changes can often help relieve signs and symptoms of heart failure and prevent the disease from worsening. These changes may be among the most important and beneficial you can make:
Coping and supportProper heart failure treatment can sometimes improve symptoms and help you live longer. You and your doctor can work together to help make you most comfortable. Pay attention to your body and how you feel, and tell your doctor when you're feeling better or worse. This way, your doctor will know what treatment works best for you. These steps may help you manage heart failure:
Managing heart failure requires an open communication between you and your doctor. Be honest about whether you're following recommendations concerning your diet, lifestyle and taking medications. Your doctor often can suggest strategies to help you get and stay on track. Preparing for your appointmentIf you think you may have heart failure or you are worried about your heart failure risk because of other underlying conditions, make an appointment with your family doctor. If heart failure is found early, your treatment may be easier and more effective. Because appointments can be brief and there's often a lot to discuss, it's a good idea to be prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment and know what to expect from your doctor. What you can do
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For heart failure, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something. What to expect from your doctorYour doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
What you can do in the meantimeIt's never too early to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, cutting down on salt and eating healthy foods. These changes can help prevent heart failure from starting or worsening. Dec. 10, 2021 |
