Heart Failure

[victortejwani]

What is the latest treatment for heart failure. Is there in any new treatment in the pipeline to cure HF

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

The current treatment for heart failure in primarily medication. Along the medication a number of life style changes are recommended, these are;- if you smoke - stop smoking, limit the amount of alcohol you consume, maintain a healthy weight, have a good balanced diet - the Mediterranean Diet is the suggested diet, exercise and avoid stress.

While heart failure is initially determined by the EF (ejection fraction) of your heart, that is the amount of blood your heart is able to pump, 55% being normal, between 40-55 would be regarded as low function and less than 40% as HF, the medics however are more interested in how a patient is coping, for this they refer to the New York Heart Association classification system, see below

heart.org/en/health-topics/...

The BHF produce a very helpful booklet on the subject of Heart Failure, link below

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

At the moment there is treatment in the pipeline to cure heart failure, there is a lot of research going on into stem cell therapy which in the future may allow new heart cells to grow and replace the damaged ones. However with medication and changes of life style many many people live a very active life for many years. There are people on this forum that have been diagnosed with heart failure many years ago and are living full active lives.

You seem to be posting an almost identical question on this forum every couple of days, and you clearly seem to be worried by the issue. None of us here are medically trained, perhaps it would be a good idea if you had a chat with your GP, who might be able to allay your concerns.

[victortejwani in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Thank you for your kind comments. You are right that my posts have been vague and I keep on asking the same thing. I am sorry but I have been very worried and confused.

I have always lived in the Uk. My heart condition includes 2 heart attacks, low E F and heart failure.

Heart failure sounds very frightening and I am trying to get some ideas from people with the same condition as me.

Thank you for your patience

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to victortejwani]

I agree heart failure does sound very frightening, I don't like the term heart failure it suggests that you're heart is going to fail (stop), which isn't the case, it's just that your heart isn't able to pump as much blood as it should, I prefer to call it impaired heart function rather than heart failure.

I had a heart attack/cardiac arrest in December 2018 and was diagnosed with heart failure (EF of 30%). At the time of hearing those words I though it was the end, and like you I was worried and frightened about what the future held. On discharge from hospital with the big bag of medicines it was explained to me the life style changes I needed to make if I wanted to avoid returning to hospital. Since then I have stopped smoking ( was told that the single most important thing to do was stop smoking) hardly drink any alcohol, completely changed my diet, now eat mainly Mediterranean Diet, given up on any processed meat, eat almost no red meat, lost 40lbs of weight, got by BMI down to 21, do loads of exercise, going to the gym, out walking etc and avoid all stress.

Last October I was discharged from any further visits to the heart hospital, my EF has gone up to 40-45% and I am completely symptom free and can carry on my life in the same way I did prior to having a heart attack, in fact I feel better than I have done in years.

So, while there is no cure, it is possible to carry on and enjoy your life despite having heart failure. There are a lot of people on this forum who will tell you the same. While it is frightening when you get told you have HF, there is a good life to be had beyond that diagnosis.

If you're struggling with your diagnosis please have a chat with your GP who will be able to offer you some support and reassurance.

[shwills in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

I have read reply and this also helped me enormously I have Heart Failure and pulmonary hypertension as well as permanent AF and 2 leaky valves and spinal problems. I also was very scared when I heard I had Heart Failure Nurses and I lost about 16 pounds in weightI. don’t smoke drink very moderately and my diet is more or less a Mediterranean diet but I have lost my way the last six weeks on this lockdown feeling very unwell started eating things I shouldn’t and getting very stressed out. I have been working from home since lockdown and just lost my way reading your post has really helped me and realise that the way to look after yourself and do the best you can for your heart and other conditions is to keep your weight right down, eat very well exercise and definitely don’t smoke.

A great reply which I hope helps many get on the right track as ultimately it is down to us to do what we can for our own bodies

The stress thing is just as important as well I am recognising that now as my stress levels have been so bad these last 5 weeks which has made me feel very unwell

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to shwills]

Thank you for your complimentary reply. I'm delighted if my post has helped in any small way - that is after all what this forum is all about.

My work used to be very stressful and to be honest I used to cope by chain smoking and poor diet, which was 100% the reason for my heart attack. Since I've retired, and my heart attack, I've made a really serious attempt to avoid stress, but a heart attack/cardiac arrest is a recipe for getting stressed and for a while my stress went off the scale. Eventually I came to the viewpoint that there's no point in stressing about "will I have another heart attack" , all I can do is try to stay as well and healthy as I can, and if I do that, well I've done all I can, so just let the rest go.

I feel the same about Coronavirus, again there's nothing I can do about it beyond keep myself as well as I can, social distance to avoid catching the virus and just carry on.

I hope you are able to mange your stress level in these strange times.

Best wishes

[victortejwani in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Really kind of you to reply which i find very helpful. I am very anxious that i have 2 completely blocked arteries, hf and 2 heart attacks. What is my prognosis. Will there be cure for hf soon?

Thank you

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to victortejwani]

Sorry but none of us on this forum are medically trained, therefore I cannot offer a prognosis. Can I suggest you have a chat with your GP about your concerns.

[Prada47 in reply to victortejwani]

Hi Victor

You have not said anything really, you have 2 blocked arteries are they blocked mid way Top or Bottom ?? Has the Cardiologist tried to clear them ? I have a 100% blocked RCA and function reasonably well. Asking for a prognosis is quite a futile question it could be next week that you will die Hit by a Bus who knows, and that's like Heart Failure no one knows.

You will Decline for sure No One Gets Better from Heart Failure. Medication may help treat the symptoms in fact it does otherwise we wouldn't bother with it !! but it won't cure Heart Failure. It may improve Ejection Fraction you can move between Mild, Moderate or Severe and you can move from Severe to Moderate to Mild.

This is probably the last time I will respond as I don't appear to be able to help.

Stay Well

Stay Safe

Ask your Professional Medical Person

[victortejwani in reply to Prada47]

My left artery ( lad) and the right artery ( rca) are 100% blocked and the cardiologist could not do any thing with those. Your comments that I will decline for sure and no one gets better from heart failure has got me more worried. I thought there are many people out there who live for many years with hf.

[Prada47 in reply to victortejwani]

Victor

Heart Failure is Progressive that won't go away. The decline can take years a lot depends on Age, Lifestyle, Severity . Are you sure your LAD and RCA are 100% blocked ?? Are they referred to as Distil Occlusions i.e. at the Bottom of your Heart ??

I didn't mean to scare you but you have to face up to the fact it's not going away and do Everything you can to take care of yourself. Have you looked at the NYHA chart and seen what class you are ? that is an excellent guide to how you are doing.

Stay Well

[victortejwani in reply to Prada47]

My lad and rca are 100% blocked and nothing can be done. What is of great concern from what you say that even after taking all medication, i am not be able to have a full life for many years.

[Prada47 in reply to victortejwani]

Hi Victor

How long is it since your 2 Heart Attacks and what Treatment was you given ? Also what is your current medication ? Just to give you some idea I had a Heart Attack in 1982 so 38 years ago now! I have an ef of low 40s changes slightly 41/42/43 % but on an echocardiogram it can vary + - 5 % .

Heart Failure can cause you to have a premature death BUT it would depend on Your Age / Severity AND your Treatment plan, and of course your Attitude.

A good option could be a CRT device which can synchronise the chambers of your Heart and make it beat more efficiently.

It may be possible but is not standard is the Re Vascularisation of the Heart i.e. increase the blood flow through your arteries using stents.

Ultimate and final option is a Heart Transplant !!! BUT again Stem Cell research is rapidly gaining traction in the treatment of H F

But as my Heart Nurse said don't worry about the Heart Failure there is Every Chance something else will get you long before the Heart Failure does !!

Try not to let it get you down there are many many other Heart Conditions with a lot worse outcomes than Heart Failure. If you need more information you need to post more information. No one can guess at what you need But many people on here will be willing to help We may not know all the answers but can point you in the direction that you need to travel.

Stay Safe Stay Well

[gilreid1]

Your posts over the last few days seem rather vague. Do you have a heart condition? Are you in the UK. We could help more if we knew more details

[GracieOS]

Hi, I think you have some excellent replies below and I won't repeat what's already been said, just share my experience. I was diagnosed with heart failure 18 months ago, aged 55. My EF at the time was low to mid 30s. I was completely devastated, I thought that's the end, no seeing my son graduate University, no retirement and fulfilling my travel plans with my husband. I was too scared to read the information I'd been given, partly because it included a section on end of life care. The words 'heart failure' are terrible, like others I'd prefer other terms like impaired heart function or something. I don't think my reaction would of been so bad if the terminology were different.

Now, I'm much better, in December my EF was around 50. This is down to medication, which I take religiously, and some fairly minor life style changes. I live a normal life. I still work albeit reduced hours and I plan to retire earlier than I previously planned. I walk regularly, with a personal target to achieve 100km a month, which I've achieved with ease over the last 5 months. I do two yoga classes a week and do my own practice, not quiet daily but nearly so. Last year I spent 3 weeks travelling in France and Spain with my husband in our campervan. We were planning a two month sabbatical later this year to go travelling again in Europe in our van, that probably wont happen now due to C-19.

So, life is good. I've had to change my mental attitude, to reassess what is and isn't important and focus on what's important to me. That's been a really positive thing that I may not of done without my diagnosis. C-19 has brought with it another set of worries but I do what I can to keep safe and turn the stats around. Instead of thinking I have 10/15% chance of this thing killing me, I think I have an 85/90% chance of surviving it.

Wishing you all the best. x

[jerry12953]

Can I just add to the comments above that in my opinion also the term "heart failure" is a very unfortunate one. Failure suggests an all or nothing situation and that is obviously not the case for most people living with heart failure. Or, please excuse my lack of knowledge, probably all of them.

[Ckd123]

Hi all, just wondering what heart test tells you what the ejection fraction of your heart is? Iv had 24 holter, stress test, chest X-ray and bloods so far but i’v never heard the above term. Thanks in advance x

[Alison_L in reply to Ckd123]

Hi CKD. An echocardiogram is the normal test for finding your ejection fraction. It's a measurement, expressed as a percentage, of how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction. Anything over 55% is normal. If you haven't had one of those it suggests that the docs think your left ventricle, and therefore your EF is fine, but obviously you have other problems with your heart

[Prada47 in reply to Ckd123]

As Alison has posted an Echocardiogram will give a very good idea. A more accurate but more expensive test is an MRI but probably only 5 % more accurate. As stated above 55 % is deemed to be 100% efficient or as good as it gets, maybe is a good way to put it.

Stay Well Stay Safe

[S11m]

As an engineer, I see heart failure as lack of flow (or pressure) from the heart. This is mostly due to a failure in the heart itself - but it could also be failure of the heart to respond to demand?

I think there are many types of heart failure, and many causes, so the possible single "cure" would be a new heart.

Even if they could mass-produce artificial hearts, fitting them would still be a major operation.

I think they are working towards the technology to grow bodyparts from your own tissue... but this might be decades away, and I expect it would take many years to grow a new heart.