Finding the culprit behind heart failure

Heart failure: Finding the culprit behind it

Original author: Dr. Yu Li

Heart failure, this frightening word, is quietly threatening the health of many people. So, what exactly causes heart failure? Let us unveil this mysterious veil together.

Heart failure, in simple terms, means that the heart, the "power pump", cannot effectively transport blood to various parts of the body, leading to a series of symptoms and signs. Its causes are varied and can be mainly divided into the following categories:

Diseases of the heart itself: Coronary heart disease is one of the common "culprits" leading to heart failure. When the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked, the myocardium cannot get enough blood supply, which will cause ischemia, hypoxia and even necrosis, and the contraction and relaxation functions of the heart will be impaired. Cardiomyopathy, such as dilated cardiomyopathy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, will cause abnormalities in the structure and function of the myocardium, affecting the normal pumping of the heart. In addition, diseases such as myocardial infarction and myocarditis may also leave "sequelae" of myocardial damage, increasing the risk of heart failure.

Overloaded heart: Long-term high blood pressure will cause the heart to contract harder to pump blood. Over time, the myocardium will become thicker and eventually lead to heart failure. Heart valve diseases, such as mitral valve stenosis or insufficiency, aortic valve stenosis, etc., will cause poor blood flow in the heart and increase the burden on the heart.

Arrhythmia: Rapid arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation can cause the heart to beat irregularly, affecting the heart's ability to pump blood. Severe bradycardia can lead to insufficient cardiac output and cause heart failure.

Other factors: Unhealthy lifestyles such as diabetes, obesity, smoking, and alcoholism, as well as systemic diseases such as chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), anemia, hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, may indirectly lead to heart failure by affecting the metabolism and function of the heart or increasing the workload of the heart.

It is worth noting that the occurrence of heart failure is often not the result of a single factor, but the result of the combined influence of multiple factors. Moreover, heart failure is a progressive process. If it can be discovered in time and effective treatment measures can be taken in the early stages of the disease to control the cause and improve heart function, the progression of heart failure can be delayed or even stopped.

Therefore, we must attach importance to regular physical examinations, maintain a healthy lifestyle, actively treat various underlying diseases, create a good working environment for our heart, and stay away from the threat of heart failure.