Diuretics are medications that cause the kidney to excrete more water and salt. Diuretics can cause the depletion of potassium and magnesium, which can be dangerous. Patients who are taking diuretics, therefore, should consult with...
Physicians use various types of medications when treating patients with CHF, each of which has a different function. Although the symptoms of CHF can be treated and improved by therapy, your doctor will also want...
Every patient should have an advance directive. It gives you a voice in decisions about your medical care when you are unconscious or too ill to communicate. As long as you are able to express...
In the past, if you were so sick that you were unable to communicate your wishes, the physician or the physician and family members made choices about how to care for you. Now, most physicians...
In many studies of CHF patients who come to the emergency department, one very common cause of CHF exacerbation was the failure to restrict salt in the diet. You should discuss this issue with your...
The ventilator is a machine designed to provide artificial respiration for a patient with respiratory failure of any cause. The ventilator pumps humidified air (with a measured amount of oxygen) into the lungs via the...
Endotracheal intubation utilizes a plastic flexible tube that is placed in the patient’s windpipe. The tube is connected to the ventilator and oxygen is forced into the patient’s lungs. Endotracheal intubation is an effective way...
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) are methods of increasing the amount of oxygen a patient breathes. A face mask is placed securely over the patient’s nose and mouth and...
How the doctor treats your CHF exacerbation depends on how severe it is. You may have to visit your doctor’s office or go to an outpatient clinic, or it may even re-quire you to be...
Although there are many effective measures to treat signs and symptoms of CHF while you’re at home, there are also actions that should be avoided. Doing any of the following could make your condition worse:...
Every CHF patient should have an action plan for get-ting emergency care quickly in the event of severe symptoms. The action plan should consist of the following. Things you’ll need at home: Contact information for...
If I’m having trouble breathing, do I need to wait for my doctor to return my call or can I start treatment myself? Severe respiratory symptoms are a life-threatening emergency. Early aggressive treatment is recommended...
Respiratory failure is a life-threatening situation in which the respiratory system stops functioning properly. Respiratory failure occurs when the lungs and respiratory system become unable to provide the body with sufficient oxygen and fail to...
Respiratory distress is a medical term used to describe severe shortness of breath. It occurs when there is not enough oxygen in the blood due to problems with the ability of the lungs to take...
Because early treatment of worsening CHF is most effective in preventing hospitalizations, it is very important for the patient to recognize when his symptoms are getting worse. The early symptoms or warning signs of a...
An exacerbation of CHF is a sudden and prolonged worsening of a patient’s CHF symptoms, such as an in-creased shortness of breath, mental confusion, leg swelling, fatigue, and weight gain. In severe cases, an exacerbation...
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is a technique used by radiologists and cardiologists to create a picture of the heart to see if it is working correctly. The scan does not use X-rays; rather,...
Radionuclide ventriculography is also called multiple-gated acquisition scanning or just MUGA scan. This nu-clear medicine test involves injecting a small amount of radioactive dye into a vein, then taking pictures of the heart as it...
A cardiac catheterization provides measurements of cardiac output and pressures within the heart and the major vessels going to and from the heart. During the test, a catheter (or hollow tube) is inserted through a...
In some cases, a cardiologist will use a less-invasive procedure called a stress test to assess the possibility of coronary heart disease. This test records the heart’s activity during exercise, either walking on a treadmill...
An echocardiogram,referred to casually as a cardiac echo or just echo, is an ultrasound examination of the heart. It is a safe and painless test that can be completed in less than an hour. The...
The EKG is a noninvasive test used to measure electrical activity in the heart. Electrical sensors, called leads, are attached to predetermined positions on the arms, legs, and the front part of your chest. These...
A chest X-ray shows the size of your heart and whether there is fluid build-up around the heart in the lungs. It can also help to eliminate other causes of shortness of breath that can...
BNP is a protein substance secreted from the heart ventricles in response to increases in blood pressure or dilation of the ventricles that occurs when heart failure worsens. BNP can be measured from a simple...
Physicians use blood tests to evaluate the function of many organs in the body. Commonly ordered blood tests reveal the function of the kidneys, liver, and thyroid gland. Tests to measure serum cholesterol and triglyceride...