Heart Failure

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From the Journal

Heart Failure

Back to the Future or Nostalgia? Heart Failure and Right-Sided Pressures

07/05/2016

Gregory W. Rutecki, MD

Gregory W. Rutecki, MD

I will preface this missive with some facts. Summer 2016 will be the 42-year anniversary of my medical school graduation.

07/05/2016

Heart Failure Snapshot

Reviewed by Michael Bloch, MD

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Heart failure is a chronic condition occurring when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to support the function of other organs.

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HF Specialists, Cardiologists, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Hospitalists, Primary Care Physicians, Pharmacists

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Symptoms include shortness of breath during usual activities or while lying down, cough, water retention, weight gain, swelling in feet, legs, ankles, or stomach, rapid heartbeat, and fatigue.

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Blood test, chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, stress test, cardiac CT scan, MRI, coronary angiogram, myocardial biopsy, right heart catheterization

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Hypertensio n, d iabete s, o besity, valvular heart disease, c oronary artery disease, s moking tobacco , eating foods high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium, not getting enough physical activity, and excessive alcohol intake

The four classes of the New York Heart Association Classification

Class I: No HF symptoms
Class II: Exertion causes shortness of breath or fatigue
Class III: Difficulty completing everyday activities
Class IV: Shortness of breath occurs at rest

American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Stages of Heart Failure

Stage A: Several risk factors, no HF signs/symptoms
Stage B: Heart disease, no HF signs/symptoms
Stage C: Heart disease & signs of HF
Stage D: Requires specialized treatment

For more content on statins, visit our Resource Center

The number of women at high cardiovascular risk who did not accept their physician's initial recommendation of statin therapy.

Ref: Brown et al.

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The lifetime risk of heart failure remains high: 20% to 45% after the age of 45 across all ethnic and racial groups.

Ref: Tsao et al.

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