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What causes heart failure?About Heart failure | Incidence | Types of heart failure | Causes
Following are some common causes of heart failure. Coronary artery disease - Heart failure is closely associated with the major risk factors for coronary heart disease: smoking, high cholesterol levels, persistent high blood pressure, diabetic abnormal blood sugar levels and obesity. A single risk factor may be sufficient to cause heart failure, but a combination of factors dramatically increases the risk. You can use lifeclinic.com to track and manage your blood pressure, pulse and weight. lifeclinic also provides a wealth of resources to help you reach your health goals. Here's how to:
High blood pressure - Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases the risk of heart failure by 200 percent, compared with people who don't have hypertension. The degree of risk appears directly related to how severe the high blood pressure is. Diabetes - People with diabetes have a two to eight times greater risk of heart failure compared to those without diabetes. Women with the condition have a greater risk of heart failure than men with diabetes. Part of the risk comes from the disease's association with other heart failure risk factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol levels. The disease process also damages the heart muscle. Heart valve problems - Some people are born with or develop problems with these flap-like structures that help regulate blood flow through the heart. Heart attack damage - A heart attack can leave the heart muscle damaged and this, in turn, can cause heart failure. Genetic abnormalities - People can be born with valve problems, other birth defects, or diseases called cardiomyopathies that can cause damage to the heart muscle and resulting heart failure. With cardiomyopathy, the heart loses its ability to pump blood. Usually, the exact cause of the muscle damage is never found.
Sources for this report include the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, and the American Heart Association. |
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