What Are The Stages Of Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure has few stages and with each stage the progression continues. The stages include-
Class I- Here the patient gets diagnosed with heart failure. If medical treatment is started in the very initial stage, the progression can be controlled. Patients can do any kind of physical activity without any limitations.
Class II- Patients are seen to have slight but limited physical capacity. It is seen that when patients get involved in increased activity, he gets fatigued and have severe chest pain along with palpitations. Once rest is taken the patient gets back his strength.
Class III- Patients are seen to be easily fatigued. Patients experience chest pain along with palpitations. Even normal activities make them tired. However, if appropriate rest is followed they regain their strength.
Class IV- This is the final stage of congestive heart failure. Patients are seen to be completely unable to do any form of activity. They have a discomfort and frequently complain of chest pain. Severe pain is experienced in the chest if any kind of physical activity is undertaken.
Helping Individuals With End
According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, heart disease is on the rise in the United States. Additionally, the disease comes with a high symptom burden, specifically at the end-of-life. Therefore, individuals with end-stage heart disease and congestive heart failure can benefit from hospice services.
Hospice of Southern Illinois focuses on comfort care for individuals with heart disease and CHF rather than curative treatment. Keeping in mind that your loved ones wishes are most important, our team including the medical director, pharmacist, nurse practitioner, nurses, social workers, counselors, hospice aides and volunteers will work together to create an individualized plan of care to reduce pain and keep symptoms managed, including but not limited to, chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue. We will cover medications, equipment and services related to the patients terminal prognosis. Contact us today for more information on hospice for CHF, care for individuals with heart disease, and care for advanced heart failure. No one has to go through the dying process alone. Hospice of Southern Illinois is here to help.
Tips For Managing Congestive Heart Failure End
You may be asking, How can I provide comfort to my loved one as they experience the end-of-life signs of congestive heart failure? Its only natural that you as a loved one and/or caregiver will want to be as helpful as possible, and ensure that your loved one is experiencing as little pain as possible. Heres some ways you can help:
- Communicate with the doctors and healthcare professionals: Your loved one may be too weak, or simply forget, to communicate their symptoms to the doctors and nurses. You can help by sharing this information with them in order to make sure your loved one gets what they need.
- Provide comfort: Sometimes it is just as simple as spending time with your loved one while watching a TV show, or talking about things they love. These conversations can help in alleviating some of their depression and anxiety.
- Help them remember to take their medicine: There will likely be various pills and medications that your loved one needs to take. You can help by assisting your loved one in staying on schedule.
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Hospice For Heart Disease & End
If you are reading this, it is likely you or someone you love has been waging a difficult physical and emotional battle against heart failure or some form of heart disease. Your search for comfort, support and answers does not stop when you accept that you must learn to live with heart disease. Thats when VITAS can help.
Hospice helps patients and their families deal with the significant impact of heart disease after curative treatment has stopped. On this page, we’ve provided answers to these questions:
- When is the right time to ask about hospice?
- What can hospice do for a person with heart disease?
- What can hospice do for the family of a person with heart disease?
- What are the overall benefits of hospice care?
- How can I approach my hospice discussion with family members and loved ones?
Symptoms Of Heart Failure
The most common symptoms of HF include:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Chronic coughing and/or wheezing
- Swelling, especially of the feet, ankles and legs
- Confusion or disorientation
- Unexplained weight gain
If someone is experiencing more than one of these symptoms, it is crucial to make a doctors appointment for evaluation. Tracking symptoms is also important for helping those who have already been diagnosed manage their condition, which can significantly impact their overall quality of life.
Heart failure symptoms in elderly individuals are often confused with normal age-related changes and may be difficult to differentiate from symptoms of other health conditions. Fatigue and shortness of breath are commonly the first indicators of early HF. However, research suggests that atypical symptoms, such as confusion, memory deficit, sleepiness, episodes of delirium, irritability, syncopal states , fatigue, anorexia, and reduced level of activity, gradually become common manifestations of HF in the elderly, especially after age 80.
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Prognosis At Different Ages
In general, younger people diagnosed with CHF tend to have a better outlook than older people.
A report averaging several smaller studies found that people under age 65 generally had a 5-year survival rate of 78.8 percent following CHF diagnosis. The same report found that people over age 75 had an average 5-year survival rate of 49.5 percent following diagnosis.
Older people diagnosed with CHF may already have other chronic health conditions. This can make it difficult to manage CHF and create a more challenging outlook for them.
for congestive heart failure. The treatment thats best for you will depend on:
- your overall health
- any other health conditions you have
- how you respond to any medications
- what stage of CHF you have
Common options include:
There are lifestyle changes a person with CHF can make that have been shown to help slow the conditions progression. Talk with your doctor before making changes to your diet or starting an exercise routine.
What Happens When A Cat Has Fluid Retention In The Abdomen
This leads to fluid retention in the abdomen. If your cats abdomen feels squishy to the touch, and you notice a limp, with the affected leg having a cold feeling, this should be considered a medical emergency. Additionally, if fluid retention is not properly treated, it could lead to congestive heart failure.
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Is Congestive Heart Failure A Death Sentence
Heart failure, despite the fact that it can be a life-threatening condition, is not a death sentence, and therapy is today more effective than ever. Congestive heart failure occurs when blood and fluid back up into the lungs, preventing some sections of the body from receiving enough oxygen-rich blood to function correctly.
Symptoms Of Congestive Heart Failure In Dogs
Symptoms of CHF in dogs can be one or more of the following clinical signs:
-
Coughing, sometimes even coughing up foam
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Difficulty breathing
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Increased rate of breathing, even when resting
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Inability to exercise
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Distended abdomen
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Collapse or sudden death
Seek an emergency vet immediately if your dog is experiencing any signs of respiratory distress or trouble breathing. Your dog may need hospitalization and immediate care when experiencing moderate to severe signs of congestive heart failure.
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Stage C Treatment Options
Treatment at this stage focuses on managing your symptoms, optimizing your heart function, and preventing worsening of your condition.
Medications to treat stage C heart failure include:
- Diuretics to reduce fluid retention
- Beta blockers to help make your heart work less hard
- SGLT2 inhibitors to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
- Digoxin to help the heart beat stronger and more regularly
- Possible cardiac resynchronization therapy
- Possible implantable cardiac defibrillator therapy
In addition to the lifestyle changes for stages A and B, you may need to make the following changes:
- Reduce your sodium intake
- Restrict fluid intake
- Keep track of your weight daily
Remember that even if the treatment causes your symptoms to get better or stop, you still need to continue treatment to slow the progression of your condition to stage D.
What Is Congestive Heart Failure In Dogs
Congestive heart failure in dogs occurs when the heart is unable to pump an adequate amount of blood to the body, thus causing an increase in pressure and fluid that eventually leaks into the lungs and, less frequently, other major organs.
When fluid accumulates in or around a dogs lungs, it prohibits the lungs from expanding normally and prevents oxygen from moving into the bloodstream properly. This can cause a variety of symptoms and health issues.
CHF can be a slow-onset condition that develops over time.
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How Long Can A 75 Year Old Live With Congestive Heart Failure
At various ages, the prognosis is variable. An analysis of numerous smaller trials indicated that patients under the age of 65 normally had a 5-year survival rate of 78.8 percent after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure. According to the same survey, those over the age of 75 had an average 5-year survival rate of 49.5 percent after being diagnosed with cancer.
Congestive Heart Failure Life Expectancy
review highlights that many physicians do not feel they can confidently predict a patients clinical trajectory in a 6-month time frame.
A 2019 metaanalysis estimates that the 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10year survival rates of all-type heart failure are 87%, 73%, 57%, and 35% , respectively. However, life expectancy for a person with CHF has substantially improved over time.
A persons age at diagnosis may impact prognosis. The authors report that the 5-year survival rate for people under 65 years of age was around 79%, while the rate was about 50% for those 75 and over.
Additionally, how much blood a persons heart pumps out per beat, known as the ejection fraction , may affect life expectancy. Doctors will note a patients EF as a percentage, with a normal output falling between
40% may be at a greater risk of dying from CHF. However, a 2017 study reports that the 5-year life expectancy is poor among all patients admitted to the hospital with heart failure regardless of their EF, with the estimated 5-year mortality at 75.4%. The above 2019 meta-analysis also found no significant difference in the survival rate between patients with an EF below 40% and those with one above.
Risk factors, such as obesity, hypertension, and a poor diet may also negatively impact a persons outlook.
CHF is not curable, but early detection and treatment may help improve a persons life expectancy. Following a treatment plan that includes lifestyle changes may help improve their quality of life.
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Hospice Care For Heart Disease Patients
If you are reading this, it is likely you or someone you love has been waging a difficult physical and emotional battle against heart failure or some form of heart disease. Your search for comfort, support and answers does not stop when you accept that you must learn to live with heart disease. Thats when VITAS can help.
Hospice helps patients and their families deal with the significant impact of heart disease after curative treatment has stopped. On this page, weve provided answers to these questions:
- When is the right time to ask about hospice?
- What can hospice do for a person with heart disease?
- What can hospice do for the family of a person with heart disease?
- What are the overall benefits of hospice care?
- How can I approach my hospice discussion with family members and loved ones?
Moderate Stage Of Chf
At Stage C, as the heart continues to fail, the person develops weakness and significant fatigue, shortness of breath or palpitations with the slightest physical exertion. She begins to limit activity because of these symptoms as she is only comfortable when resting. A doctor’s evaluation and testing shows moderate signs of heart dysfunction,
Other possible symptoms might include more visible edema of the lower extremities and the hands might also swell as the fluid congestion in body tissues increases. Shoes and rings might be tighter. The pulse might become weaker because of the struggling heart.
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What Can Hospice Do For The Family Of A Person With Heart Disease
Family members may have to make difficult healthcare and financial decisions, act as caregivers and provide emotional support to others. If the decision is made to stop medical support, some families experience strong emotions and feel overwhelmed.
Hospice offers comprehensive services for families of patients with heart disease:
B: Delivery Of Health Care
B1: Perceptions regarding care
B1.a: Appropriateness of care
The interviewed patients assessment of the quality of medical and nursing care varied depending on whether they thought the treatment was appropriate, necessary and met their needs. If decisions about medical treatment, prescriptions and home visits made by the professionals do not meet a patients expectations, they may be perceived as inadequate or wrong. Treatment of pain was particularly highlighted: The fact that patients often perceive pain as an expression of complete suffering not attributable to any particular cause leads to a type of indifference that makes any medical help inconceivable. The following quotation clearly illustrates this perception of ubiquitous suffering, which the patient repeatedly mentioned in every interview.
Patient HD12, T2 : I only want to feel better. But it seems its not to be, nothing good. Being ill, theres nothing wanted, nothing needed, its always the same. I dont need anything, I can be quite alone. Pain everywhere
Patient HD06, T1 : So you know, if a patient is really ill, yes, its good when you have someone who looks after you. I mean, I do not want too much care, it would be too much responsibility for me, you know. But if youre not feeling well, its good to have someone.
B1.b: Continuity of care
B2: Interpersonal relationships
B2.a: Interaction in the processes of care
B2.b: Specific aspects in physician-patient interaction
B3: Meaning of family
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What Are The Complications Of Heart Failure
Some of the complications from heart failure include:
- Irregular heartbeat.
- History of taking drugs that can damage your heart muscle, such as some cancer drugs.
Stage B
Stage B is considered pre-heart failure. It means your healthcare provider has given you a diagnosis of systolic left ventricular dysfunction but youve never had symptoms of heart failure. Most people with Stage B heart failure have an echocardiogram that shows an ejection fraction of 40% or less. This category includes people who have heart failure and reduced EF due to any cause.
Stage C
People with Stage C heart failure have a heart failure diagnosis and currently have or previously had signs and symptoms of the condition.
There are many possible symptoms of heart failure. The most common are:
- Shortness of breath.
- Need to urinate while resting at night.
- Rapid or irregular heartbeats .
- A dry, hacking cough.
- A full or hard stomach, loss of appetite or upset stomach .
There may be times that your symptoms are mild or you may not have any symptoms at all. This doesn’t mean you no longer have heart failure. Symptoms of heart failure can range from mild to severe and may come and go.
Unfortunately, heart failure usually gets worse over time. As it worsens, you may have more or different signs or symptoms.Its important to let your doctor know if you have new symptoms or if your symptoms get worse.
How Can I Help My Cat With Congestive Heart Failure
Changes to your cats diet may help with treatment, though your cat may still need certain medications like diuretics to remove excess fluid, vasodilators to improve circulation, or positive inotropes which increase heartbeat force. Many cats with congestive heart failure require medication for the rest of their lives.
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What Is Ejection Fraction
Ejection fraction refers to how well your left ventricle pumps blood with each heart beat. Most times, EF refers to the amount of blood being pumped out of the left ventricle each time it contracts. The left ventricle is the hearts main pumping chamber.
Your EF is expressed as a percentage. An EF that is below normal can be a sign of heart failure. If you have heart failure and a lower-than-normal EF , your EF helps your doctor know how severe your condition is.
New Moms And Heart Failure Risk
A study published in January 2018 in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure found that women are most at risk for heart failure within the first six weeks after delivery, also known as the postpartum period.
The research supports the notion that at-risk women need closer observation postpartum.
The researchers also say that because many women are discharged from hospital care just a couple of days after they give birth and arent given a follow-up until about six weeks later, the way doctors regard women who might be at risk of heart failure needs to change.
They call for comprehensive discharge health education, with emphasis on signs and symptoms to look for and when or where to seek immediate care.
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