Heart failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump blood properly. When this happens, blood may flow backward, and fluid can accumulate in the lungs, causing breathing problems. Its prevalence doubles with each decade of age, reaching 10% by the age of 70.

The main cause of heart failure is the weakness, damage, or stiffness of the heart. Some of the factors that can lead to this include:

• It is much more common in older ages.
• Coronary artery disease: this is the most frequent cause of heart failure and results from the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries that reduce their diameter.
• Hypertension: high blood pressure forces the heart to work harder.
• Previous heart attack: damage to the heart muscle as a result of an infarction can lead to later pumping problems.
• Heart valve disease
• Heart arrhythmias: these can weaken the heart muscle.
• Diabetes: increases the risk of hypertension and coronary artery disease.
• Sleep apnea: the drop in oxygen levels due to this condition increases the risk of irregular heartbeats and coronary weakness.
• Obesity.
• Certain infections.
• Alcohol or drug use.
• Medications: some drugs, like rosiglitazone or NSAIDs, can cause heart failure in some people.

The most common scenario is that symptoms develop slowly, although in some cases, they can appear suddenly. The symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath, fatigue, and weakness
• Swelling due to fluid retention in the lower limbs
• Tachycardia
• Chronic cough
• Weight gain due to fluid retention
• Nausea and lack of appetite
• Difficulty concentrating or reduced alertness

Heart failure is often the result of other conditions that cause it, so prevention involves controlling these pathologies. Among them, as described earlier, are coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

In addition, there are also lifestyle actions that can help reduce the risk, such as not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing stress.