Your heart is hurting! 6.2 million Americans have heart failure, which is roughly 2% of the country. Nearly 400,000 Americans died as a result of heart failure in 2018.
One reason why these statistics are so high is that there are different types of heart failure. A number of conditions can cause your heart to stop pumping blood and oxygen, and you need to know about all of them.
What are the most common kinds of heart failure? How can you know what type of heart failure you have? What happens when multiple parts of your heart fail?
Answer these questions and you can live a long life, even with a failing heart. Here is your quick guide.
Left-Sided Failure
Your left ventricle circulates oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body. Vessels in the lungs bring blood into the ventricle, so if the ventricle fails, blood can return to the lungs.
You may experience several signs of heart failure when this occurs. You may develop shortness of breath, which can lead to coughing. You may lose your appetite and feel pain in your chest or abdomen.
Some people experience extreme fatigue and irregular heartbeats. Left-sided failure can be fatal, so you should go to your doctor if you are experiencing extreme and sudden heart failure symptoms.
Right-Sided Failure
Your right ventricle pumps blood into your lungs so the blood can receive oxygen. Lung diseases can be causes of heart failure. If your lungs are diseased and cannot receive blood, blood can circulate back into your heart and trigger heart conditions.
A right-sided failure has the same symptoms as a left-sided failure. Some people also experience fluid buildup in their legs and abdomen.
Biventricular Failure
Biventricular failure occurs when both ventricles of the heart fail simultaneously. The left ventricle tends to fail right before the right ventricle does.
You may experience extreme symptoms, including swelling and fatigue. But people can experience different warning signs and symptoms, and some of them may not be immediately apparent. You should click here to learn more information and then get help when you have bad symptoms.
Systolic Failure
Systolic failure is a special kind of heart failure. Your heart muscles stop contracting, preventing blood from circulating throughout your body.
People with hypertension and diabetes are at a higher risk for systolic failure than other people. Their blood may clot or fail to circulate properly, causing the heart muscles to seize up.
Systolic failure can cause confusion and dizziness as well as chest pain and fatigue. You may need surgery to repair or reduce your muscles if they are too big.
The Different Types of Heart Failure
It can be hard to tell different types of heart failure apart from each other. Left-sided and right-sided failures can cause similar symptoms. A right-sided failure can stem from lung problems, and it can cause swelling, unlike a left-sided failure.
The pain from biventricular failure can be more intense than in other kinds of failure. Systolic failures can come from oversized or misshapen hearts.
All types of heart failure are medical emergencies. But treatments like surgeries can be effective, especially if you know the facts. Read more heart health guides by following our coverage.
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
