Can we prevent congestive heart failure? Doctors believe controlling risk factors for
heart disease can help prevent heart failure.
These risk factors include high blood pressure, smoking, high
cholesterol levels, diabetes, obesity, and coronary heart disease.
Diagnosis of congestive heart failure.
My mom woke up one night gasping for air, her lips were bluish and you
could hear her breathing across the room.
She called us, we raced to her house and met the ambulance. The paramedics gave her oxygen and began
medications during the ride to the hospital.
Within a few hours, she was feeling better. Her initial treatment involved oxygen,
medicines to regulate her heart rhythm and diuretic medication to get rid of
the excess fluid in her body.
Mom’s sudden onset and symptoms made diagnosis straight forward and obvious. Sometimes it’s not so simple. Diagnosis always begins with a medical
history and a physical examination by a doctor/nurse practitioner. Tests which may be needed to diagnose heart failure include blood
tests, an EKG (electrocardiogram), an echocardiogram, stress test, coronary
angiogram, and a cardiac CT scan or MRI scan.
More information about congestive heart failure can be found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-failure/DS00061
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