Complications of heart failure that need to be aware of & bull; hello healthy

Heart failure has various potential complications that can affect the life expectancy of its patients. This means, when experiencing complications from heart failure, the life expectancy of the patient will decrease. Even so, the life expectancy of patients can be improved with heart failure treatment. So, what are the complications of heart failure that can reduce the life expectancy of its patients? Check out the following explanation.

Various health conditions as complications of heart failure

The following are various health problems that complicate heart failure, including:

1. Kidney failure

One of the complications of heart failure is kidney failure or damage to the kidneys. This is because the heart is in charge of sending oxygen-rich blood supplies throughout the body. Meanwhile, the kidneys filter the blood and remove the rest through urine. In addition, the kidneys also help regulate water and salt levels to regulate blood pressure.

So, it's no wonder that one of the complications of heart failure is kidney failure. The reason is, when the heart is unable to pump blood, the heart becomes full of blood beyond its capacity. This causes increased pressure on the blood vessels that connect to the kidneys.

This pressure causes the kidneys to fill with blood too. Therefore, the kidneys also lack blood supply that contains oxygen. If the kidneys are damaged, the hormonal system that regulates blood pressure overworks to increase blood supply to the kidneys.

The heart then has to pump blood against the greater pressure on the arteries causing the arteries to have a heavier workload.

Usually, doctors will routinely check the condition of the kidneys of patients who have heart health problems. The doctor may order blood tests that can check the level of creatinine, or the “waste” in the body that is excreted by the kidneys. If the creatinine level increases, it indicates that the kidneys are damaged.

2. Heart valve disorders

In fact, heart failure and heart valve disorders can influence each other. This means that heart valve disorders are one of the complications of this one heart health problem, and vice versa.

The heart has four heart valves that keep the blood in the heart flowing in the right direction. In some cases, the heart valves do not open or close properly. This causes blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body to be disrupted.

Heart failure patients may experience heart valve problems as a complication. This occurs because during heart failure, the heart valves may not work properly due to the enlarged heart size or the pressure on the heart to become too large.

This condition can of course be overcome, but treatment depends on the problem with the heart valve and the severity of the heart valve problem. Sometimes, heart valve disorders must be treated with surgical procedures to repair the valve or even replace it with an artificial valve.

3. Arrhythmia

Heart failure complications that may also be experienced by patients are arrhythmias or problems with heart rhythm. There are several types of heart rhythm problems that you should be aware of:

Atrial fibrillation

Any of these types of heart rhythm problems can be a complication of heart failure. This condition occurs when a very fast beat in the upper chambers of the heart. This can be a cause of stroke, especially in people who have heart failure.

This one heart rhythm problem can also make the patient's other risks of heart failure more difficult to overcome.

Left bundle branch block

Meanwhile, this one problem with the heart rhythm occurs because there is a problem with the electrical conduction in the heart. Nearly 30% of heart failure patients have this condition. Therefore, this is one of the complications of heart failure.

Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation

This type of arrhythmia that can be life threatening can also be experienced by people with heart failure. Therefore, this condition includes complications of heart failure. If a heart failure patient has this condition, the doctor will usually recommend a defibrillator implant to protect the heart failure patient from arrhythmias.

4. Liver damage

As mentioned in an article published in the Mayo Clinic, one of the complications of heart failure that a patient may experience is liver damage. Yes, heart problems and liver problems are often linked.

This means that liver problems can cause heart problems such as left heart failure, and vice versa. This is because heart failure has the potential to increase the fluid that puts pressure on the liver. This buildup of fluid can cause injury so that the liver cannot work properly.

5. Stroke

Stroke is also one of the complications that may occur if you have heart failure. The reason is, your brain is deprived of oxygen because the blood supply that contains oxygen cannot reach the brain.

This causes you to lose cognitive abilities as well as motor function of the body. If this condition is not treated immediately, the risk of death from kidney failure patients also increases.

6. Heart attack

Heart attack may be one cause of heart failure. Even so, it does not mean that when a patient has heart failure, the patient does not have the potential or risk of having a heart attack in the future.

Yes, patients who experience heart failure continue to have the risk of heart attack and angina. Therefore, patients still have to maintain a good health condition and avoid various activities that might increase the potential for a heart attack.

7. Anemia

Anemia is also one of the complications of this one heart health problem. The cause is reduced hemoglobin which carries oxygen in red blood cells.

When the kidneys are damaged due to complications of heart failure, the kidneys will produce less erythropoietin, which plays a role in the formation of red blood cells. This causes fatigue and increases the potential risks associated with heart failure.

8. Depression

Did you know that heart failure patients are at risk for prolonged depression? Yes, depression is a possible complication of heart failure.

Depression is closely related to decreased quality of life, and this can occur when you have heart failure. In addition, heart failure also has the potential to cause limitations in bodily functions, the need to always maintain health, increasing health care costs, and deteriorating health conditions.

These have the potential to increase depression. In addition, depression can also lead to sexual dysfunction, another complication of heart failure. Therefore, it is not surprising that most of the heart failure patients experience major depression because of these conditions.

To prevent complications that can worsen the condition and reduce the life expectancy of the patient, treatment for heart failure must be carried out immediately. In addition, by immediately taking care of heart failure, the patient's life expectancy will be longer and the quality of life for heart failure patients will also increase.