Читать книгу Predicting Heart Failure - Группа авторов - Страница 16

As mentioned, the causes of HF are CAD, high blood pressure, and other heart diseases, and it occurs because of the damage to the heart muscle brought about by these and similar conditions. While oxygen is regularly carried to a normal heart, it is not possible to carry enough oxygen in the case of a damaged heart. Although HF usually occurs on the left side of the heart, it can develop on the right or both sides. Table 1.1 lists multiple HF types and their results.

Table 1.1 HF types and their outcomes.

HF Type	Outcome
Left-sided HF	This causes fluid to accumulate in the lungs, which causes shortness of breath in people.
Right-sided HF	Fluid builds up in the abdomen, legs, and feet, which causes swelling in the abdomen and legs.
Systolic HF	This occurs when the heart muscle cannot contract strongly as it should; as a result, blood is not pumped in the normal way.
Diastolic HF	There is insufficient blood filling the area due to the inability of the heart to relax sufficiently.

Some of the prominent causes of HF are:

 CAD and heart attack: CAD is the most prominent heart disease and the most common cause of HF. The disease occurs when blood circulation is not normal due to fat deposits, called plaques, in the blood vessels. Heart attacks are divided into mild heart attack and major heart attack. Mild heart attacks occur in a small portion of the heart muscle. However, a mild heart attack should be taken seriously because it can cause a second attack. Major heart attack affects a large part of the heart muscle. The blood flow to the heart is completely blocked or there is no blood flow for a long time. Major heart attack can cause cardiac arrest and death.

 High blood pressure (hypertension): High blood pressure is one of the factors that makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood to the body. This strain causes the heart muscle to work more than normal, damaging it.

 Faulty heart valves: The function of the heart valves is to keep the blood flowing in the right direction. Failure of heart valves to function is known as heart valve malfunction. Heart valve malfunctions can be caused by genetic factors, old age, and infection. A faulty valve tires the heart, forcing it to work harder and causing it to weaken over time.

 Damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy): Cardiomyopathy can have many causes, such as various diseases, infections, alcohol use, and the toxic effect of drugs like cocaine or chemotherapy drugs. Sometimes it can be due to genetic factors.

 Heart muscle inflammation: This is caused by viruses and can lead to left-sided HF.

 Congenital heart defects: If the heart and chambers or valves aren’t formed correctly, the healthy parts of the heart have to work harder to pump blood, which can lead to HF.

 Heart arrhythmias: Abnormal heart rhythms will show heart-damaging output in both fast heartbeat and slow heartbeat. Its rapid beating will tire the heart, and its slow beating will cause problems in circulation.

 Other diseases: Diabetes, HIV, hyperthyroid and similar diseases can also cause HF.

Heart diseases and the factors that affect the HF that occur as a result may be genetic, sometimes congenital abnormalities, and sometimes related to our lifestyle. Overweight, having a sedentary life, smoking, and stressful work life are also harmful factors for the heart [1].