{"id":12949,"date":"2022-10-20T15:40:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T19:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/news\/?p=12949"},"modified":"2022-10-20T15:40:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-20T19:40:00","slug":"are-you-at-risk-for-heart-failure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/news\/2022\/10\/are-you-at-risk-for-heart-failure\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You at Risk for Heart Failure?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Heart failure is a condition in which your heart can\u2019t pump enough blood to meet your body\u2019s needs. Although heart failure doesn\u2019t mean that your heart has stopped working, it can be a serious condition that can worsen and lead to disability, if not managed effectively.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Heart failure is not a heart attack<\/h3>\n

\u201cWhile some of the symptoms of heart failure may be similar to those of a heart attack, they are not the same,\u201d says\u00a0Ketan Gala, MD, FACC<\/a>, Medical Director of the Advanced Heart Failure program at\u00a0Cooper University Health Care<\/a>\u00a0and member provider of Cooper and Inspira Cardiac Care.<\/p>\n

Heart attacks occur when the heart\u2019s blood supply is blocked, usually by a build-up of plaque in the arteries, which causes damage to the heart muscle. In some cases, the muscle may be incapacitated permanently.<\/p>\n

Heart failure does not necessarily mean that the heart muscle is damaged, but it does mean that the heart cannot pump blood efficiently. As blood flow slows, pressure in the heart increases, preventing it from pumping sufficient oxygen and nutrients to meet the body\u2019s needs. The heart\u2019s chambers may expand to hold more blood (to pump through the body) or become thick and stiff. These responses can help keep blood flowing short-term, but can weaken the heart over time.<\/p>\n

Who develops heart failure?<\/h3>\n

According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 6.2 million adults in the United States have a diagnosis of heart failure. There are many causes, including heart attacks, viral infections, valve problems, unhealthy lifestyles, and other diseases or conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone can develop heart failure, but it is more common in people with certain risk factors, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, or a family history of heart failure,\u201d Dr. Gala says. \u201cPeople over the age of 65 are also at greater risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

These factors, combined with unhealthy behaviors such as eating a diet high in fat, excessive alcohol intake, smoking tobacco, and lack of exercise, can increase an individual\u2019s chance of a heart failure diagnosis.<\/p>\n

What are the symptoms of heart failure?<\/h3>\n

The most common symptom of heart failure is shortness of breath, but other symptoms can include:<\/p>\n