From warning signs to risks, 4 common myths about heart failure
Lack of knowledge about the condition have resulted in the creation of various myths.
Despite the fact that India is home to 40% of the world's heart failure patients, there is a lack of understanding about the illness and its treatment. As a result, various myths about heart failure have developed. Let us break some of the most common heart failure myths.
Fact: There are various signs of heart failure that one should be aware of, in addition to knowing risk factors such as family history and coexisting diseases that can make you more inclined to heart failure. Breathlessness or dyspnea, lethargy, tiredness, greater time required to recover after exercise, and ankle swelling are the most common symptoms. Gasping for breath, nighttime coughing, bloating, confusion, depression, dizziness, an irregular pulse, loss of appetite, and a short loss of consciousness are some of the fewer common symptoms.
Fact: Heart failure does not indicate that your heart has ceased working. Although there is no definitive cure, it can be treated and the symptoms are frequently well managed. Patients can still benefit from treatment to live a better quality of life by effectively managing the disease, which includes relieving or stabilising symptoms. Dedication to medication and lifestyle adjustments is critical to properly managing your disease.
Fact: Even though the condition is more common in older people, it can also occur in younger people. Younger heart failure patients (18-55 years old) are more likely to have problems such as obesity, in addition to myocarditis, congenital heart disease, and cardiomyopathy, which raise the chances of early heart failure. As a result, their health would be managed differently, targeting these risk factors and relieving symptoms in order to increase their quality of life.
Fact: While heart failure and heart attacks are both classified as cardiovascular disorders, they differ greatly. A heart attack is characterised by a sudden stoppage of blood flow to the heart. Heart failure, on the other hand, is a chronic, progressive illness in which the heart is unable to adequately pump blood. A heart attack, on the other hand, can cause heart failure, as can other heart disorders, hypertension, lung or kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, or bad lifestyle choices.
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