How An Internist Can Help You Treat Congestive Heart Failure

In many countries worldwide, the rates of people with heart failure are on the rise. Due to various factors, heart failure is becoming more common, and as a result, there has been more focus on how to properly manage and treat this condition. Proper care is essential when it comes to heart failure, and having a quality internist can help you improve your quality of life and combat the effects of congestive heart failure. Learn more about how access to on-demand concierge medicine doctors or other primary care providers can help treat your condition.

What Is Congestive Heart Failure?

Congestive heart failure (CHF), also known as heart failure, is a condition where your heart has trouble pumping blood as efficiently as it could. While it might sound scary, congestive heart failure doesn’t actually mean the heart has stopped working. For patients with heart failure, the muscle fails to contract as well as it should, leading to difficulty meeting the body’s demand for blood. Blood ends up going to the heart much faster than it can get pumped out, leading to “congestion” or a backup in the heart. 

The body attempts to compensate for this problem by beating faster and growing in size to hold more blood. Additionally, the lungs may fill with fluid, and the kidneys retain water and sodium because of the lack of proper blood flow. These reactions all lead to symptoms that indicate you have a serious issue. 

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure?

Do you think you might be suffering from CHF? Here are some signs and symptoms that indicate your heart muscles might be compromised:

  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath when lying down or performing activities
  • Rapid weight gain from fluid buildup
  • Abdomen swelling
  • Chest pain (if heart failure is a result of a heart attack)
  • Wheezing and coughing resulting in a white or pink mucus discharge
  • Nausea
  • Lack of Appetite
  • Decreased alertness ad difficulty concentrating

How Are People With Heart Failure Treated?

Unfortunately, congestive heart failure cannot be cured but there are ways to treat the condition that can slow the progression of the disease, help you live longer, reduce medical bills and visits, and relieve the symptoms you experience. Treatment starts by focusing on the underlying causes. This can be done via surgeries to help patients with coronary artery disease or medications to address high blood pressure or diabetes. They also include lifestyle changes, such as:

  • Reducing stress on the heart
  • Avoiding smoke
  • Losing weight
  • Getting regular exercise

For patients with advanced heart failure, heart transplantation might be considered as well as heart reconstruction and Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD). 

How Can an Internist Help With Your Congestive Heart Failure?

A quality internist like the ones at Signature Medicine can help you diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases and conditions like CHF. Adding one of our internists to your team gives you access to quality medication, and you’ll be placed on a schedule that can help ensure you prevent the condition from worsening. Patients with CHF are usually under different medications, making management much more important. 

Internists will also give you nutritional advice that can help improve your quality of life. A good diet for someone with heart failure includes tons of vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, and a reduction in sodium consumption. You can also lose weight via medical weight loss, which can help reduce the strain on your heart and the surrounding organs. 

Signature Medicine Can Provide You With the Right Care for Your Heart Problems

Congestive heart failure is a serious condition that you shouldn’t take lightly. While the condition may get worse over time, proper treatment from a qualified team like the experts at Signature Medicine can provide the right care that patients with heart failure need. Treating the underlying causes and improving your daily life can go a long way to improving your condition, and you can get plenty more help from our general primary care providers. Reach out to the team at Signature Medicine and take huge steps in managing your heart failure for years to come. 

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