Heart Failure - Symptoms, Diagnoses and Treatment

What is Heart failure?

Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is a condition of the heart in which it cannot pump sufficient blood to the body. It occurs when high levels of proteins and liquid accumulate in the tissues and fluids around and inside your heart.

Heart failure can develop suddenly or gradually over time. It affects people who have had a previous heart attack or coronary artery disease.

What Causes Heart failure?

There are many common causes of heart failure, including coronary artery disease, long-standing high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, valve problems, and heart attack. Many times people have more than one of these conditions. Any damage to the heart muscle caused by these problems can lead to heart failure.

This is a question that for some may be difficult to answer. In general, heart failure is caused by a weakened heart muscle due to a variety of factors such as age, genetics, and diseases.

Heart failure may also be caused by cardiovascular disease or more specifically hypertension. If left untreated it can lead to death within 3 months on average. This paper explores the causes of heart failure and what you should do if you see your horses struggling.

What are the Symptoms of Heart failure?

The most common symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue or weakness, feeling lightheaded or dizzy when standing up, leg swelling due to fluid accumulation, and rapid weight gain. As heart failure progresses, fatigue will worsen and you may develop nausea and vomiting. In time, you may develop a heart murmur, a clicking or buzzing noise in your chest. Other symptoms may include feeling tired, being very thirsty, and having a fever or chills.

How is Heart failure Diagnosed?

In addition to the symptoms described above, doctors may be able to diagnose heart failure by doing a physical examination and performing a routine blood test. In some cases, an echocardiogram will tell if your heart does not have enough strength or function properly. A cardiologist or cardiac electrophysiologist may also use imaging tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) and/or an echocardiogram to determine if there is damage to the valves in your heart muscle.

How is Heart failure treated?

The goal of treatment for heart failure is to decrease fluid accumulation and maintain adequate blood flow. Some many drugs and procedures can help you control the symptoms and slow further progression.

If left untreated, strict bed rest and medication will not slow down the progression of the disease. A healthy diet with plenty of fluids, exercise, and stress management can prevent or delay heart failure. Monitoring your horse's health status including weight gain and exercise level is important in preventing this disease from developing.

Frequently Asked Questions on Heart failure

What Heart failure does my horse have?

Heart failure is a common problem in horses. If your horse develops an unusual amount of swelling in one leg, you should contact your veterinarian to discuss what kind of treatment may be appropriate for your horse.

To prevent, or at least postpone the development of heart failure in your horse, it is important to maintain adequate nutrition by providing plenty of roughage and water. Exercise is also very important.

Can I live without a Heart?

Yes. Despite being our most vital organ, the heart can completely degenerate leaving the mucosal lining intact while the muscle tissue deteriorates. In contrast, our lungs can completely degenerate, but the mucosal lining remains intact.

This same phenomenon occurs with other organs such as kidneys and skin. Anyone who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer will have no difficulty living without their heart.

How do Heart failure and other Heart problems affect a horse?

Heart problems should be considered a warning sign of chronic disease. Affected horses often develop weight gain and fatigue. These signs may be mild at first or progress to severe respiratory problems caused by fluid accumulation in the lungs.

High blood pressure is common as well. Without treatment, your horse may become emaciated as the body's chemical processes become overwhelmed by the demands placed on them by an under-functioning heart.