The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), puts the number of American adults with heart failure at 6.2 million. Knowing the signs of congestive heart failure is crucial in managing your health. Your cardiologist in St. Thomas and St. Croix, Dr. Ahmet Sayan, and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Chase of Virgin Island Orthopaedics and Medical Specialists, will help you manage your health.
What Is Congestive Heart Failure?
Congestive heart failure is a health condition where your heart has a hard time pumping out enough blood to supply your body's requirements. That means that the life-supporting nutrients and oxygen that your body needs have difficulty getting to your tissues. To compensate for this challenge, your heart may beat faster or get thicker.
Congestive heart failure can affect your lungs and kidneys too. Fluid may accumulate in your lungs causing shortness of breath and kidney failure may occur from not getting enough blood.
Signs of Congestive Heart Failure
These signs may indicate congestive heart failure but that's not always the case. If you're having these symptoms, it's best to consult your cardiologist in St. Thomas and St. Croix for proper diagnosis. If you already have a diagnosis for congestive heart failure, monitoring these symptoms will help you manage your condition. Congestive failure sighs include:
- Shortness of breath
- Limited capacity for physical activity
- Fatigue
- Chest congestion
- Edema
- Chest pain
Congestive Heart Failure Prevention
Here are a few things that you can do to lower your risk of getting congestive heart failure:
- Quit Smoking - Smoking, including secondhand smoke, increases your risk of damage to your arteries and congestive heart failure.
- Eat Healthily - That means reducing your consumption of sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and trans fat. You can include more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins in your diet.
- Lose Weight - Achieving a healthy weight and increasing your physical activity will help lower your risk of congestive heart failure.
- Monitor Your Health - If you've already got other cardiovascular health problems, monitor your condition closely. Following your set treatment plan is also essential.
If you have these signs or suspect that you may have congestive heart failure, see your cardiologist in St. Thomas and St. Croix. Your doctors at Virgin Island Orthopaedics and Medical Specialists, Dr. Sayan and Dr. Chase will take care of you when you schedule your consultation by calling:
St. Thomas (340) 714-2845
St. Croix (340) 692-5000