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The Best Cures for Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure occurs when not enough blood is being pumped through the heart to meet the needs of your body's organs. High blood pressure and coronary artery disease can eventually leave your heart too weak to pump blood efficiently through the heart. Heart failure can be treated with medication and lifestyle changes.

  1. Medications

    • Your doctor may prescribe one or a combination of medications for your heart failure condition. ACE inhibitors like Zestril widen the blood vessels allowing better blood flow and less work for the heart. Beta blockers like Coreg are drugs which slow your heart rate and lower blood pressure, improving heart function. Diuretics, also known as water pills, cause the your body to urinate more frequently and keep fluid from building up in your body. Lasix is a commonly prescribed diuretic for heart failure and can also aid in reducing fluid in the lungs allowing you to breathe easier.

    Surgical Devices

    • A damaged heart valve can sometimes cause the congestive heart failure, so repair or replacement of the heart valve might be a treatment. ICDs are implantable cardioverter-defibrillators which are implanted under the skin with small wires attaching to the heart. The ICD monitors your heart's rhythm, and if the heart starts racing, the ICD will shock the heart back into a normal rhythm. Biventricular pacing, more commonly known as pacemakers, send electrical impulses to the heart's two lower chambers so they may pump in an efficient manner. Some doctors use both pacemakers and ICDs for their heart failure patients.

    Lifestyle Changes

    • Reducing your salt intake lowers blood pressure and helps reduce the retention of water. Water retention makes the heart work harder and causes swollen legs and feet. If you smoke, then quit, as smoking reduces oxygen in the blood and makes the heart beat faster. Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight puts an extra burden on your heart. Moderate exercise such as walking can help strengthen the heart muscle. Reduce stress as being agitated makes your heart beat faster. Always discuss with your doctor what medical treatments and changes in your lifestyle will better your condition.

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