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What is Heart failure?

Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should. Shortness of breath can result from fluid accumulation and blood backing up in the lungs.

The heart becomes too weak or stiff to adequately fill and pump blood due to certain heart diseases over time. These conditions include elevated blood pressure and cardiac artery narrowing. Congestive heart failure is another name for heart failure.

What is the Importance of Timely Treatment?

Heart failure must be treated promptly to preserve the patient's quality of life and prevent the illness from worsening.

In addition to preventing additional heart muscle damage, early intervention can help manage symptoms, including fatigue, oedema, and shortness of breath. Serious side effects like kidney failure, stroke, or sudden cardiac arrest are also less likely to occur with prompt treatment.

Medication, lifestyle modifications, and suitable therapy can stabilise heart function, lower hospitalisation rates, and lengthen life expectancy by managing underlying causes (such as high blood pressure or coronary artery disease). Postponing therapy can increase the risk of life-threatening events, worsen heart failure, and impair heart function.

What are the Common Symptoms of Heart Failure?

Symptoms may develop slowly. Symptoms of heart failure can occasionally appear suddenly. Heart failure symptoms may include:

  • Shortness of breath with activity or when lying down.
  • Weakness and exhaustion.
  • Foot, ankle, and leg swelling.
  • Fast or irregular heartbeat.
  • Diminished exercise capacity.
  • Wheezing.
  • A persistent cough or one that produces pink or white mucus with blood splatters.
  • Swelling in the abdomen.
  • Rapid weight gain due to fluid accumulation.
  • Nausea and appetite loss.
  • Reduced attentiveness or trouble focusing.
  • Chest pain if a heart attack is the cause of heart failure.

Types of Heart Failure

  • Right-sided heart failure: The lower right heart chamber, known as the right ventricle, is impacted by right-sided heart failure. Swelling may result from fluid backing up into the legs, feet, and abdomen.
  • Left-sided heart failure: The lower left heart chamber, known as the left ventricle, is impacted by left-sided heart failure. The accumulation of fluid in the lungs can result in dyspnea.
  • Systolic heart failure, another name for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF): This is a form of left-sided heart failure. The left ventricle is unable to squeeze as forcefully as it should. The body cannot get enough blood from the heart because it is not powerful enough.
  • Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), also called diastolic heart failure: This kind of cardiac failure is left-sided. The left ventricle is unable to inflate or relax fully. The heart struggles to pump blood.

Causes, Risk Factors and Complications of Heart Failure

Causes

Congestive heart failure has several causes, including:

  • Heart attack and/or coronary artery disease
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Birth defects of the heart (congenital heart disease)
  • Diabetes
  • Hypertension, or elevated blood pressure
  • Arrhythmia
  • Kidney illness
  • Greater than 30 body mass index (BMI)
  • Tobacco use
  • Use of alcohol
  • Cancer medications (chemotherapy)

Risk Factors

Diseases and conditions that increase the risk of heart failure include:

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Heart attack
  • Heart valve disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Irregular heartbeats
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Sleep apnea
  • Obesity

Medicines that may increase the risk of heart failure include:

  • Some diabetes medicines
  • Some other medicines

Other risk factors for heart failure include:

  • Ageing
  • Alcohol use
  • Smoking or using tobacco

Complications

Your age, general health, and the severity of your heart disease all affect the complications that can arise from heart failure. These could consist of:

  • Kidney damage or failure.
  • Other heart changes.
  • Liver damage.
  • Sudden cardiac death

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Heart Failure Prevention Tips

Treating and managing the problems that can lead to heart failure is one strategy to avoid it. These ailments include obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease.

Heart failure may be prevented by adopting some of the same lifestyle modifications that are used to treat it, which are as follows:

  • Avoid smoking.
  • Get a lot of exercise.
  • Consume nutritious foods.
  • Keep your weight in check.
  • Manage and lessen stress.
  • As prescribed, take your medications.

Treatment options for Heart Failure

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG): During the procedure, a healthy blood vessel from the arm, leg, or chest is taken and connected below and above the heart's clogged arteries. The new pathway improves blood flow to the heart muscle.


Cost Start From USD 5000 - USD 14000Explore Options

ICD Combo Device: An ICD is a device that resembles a pacemaker. With wires running through the veins and into the heart, it is implanted beneath the skin in the chest.


Cost Start From USD 25546Explore Options

Heart Transplantation: Some people's heart failure is so severe that neither medication nor surgery can help. It might be necessary for these individuals to have a healthy donor heart installed in place of their own.


Cost Start From USD 95000 - USD 170000Explore Options

Open Heart Surgery: Open heart surgery or minimally invasive surgery can be used to replace or repair a heart valve.

Tests that may be done to diagnose heart failure may include:

  • Clinical Assessment:
    • Blood tests: Blood testing is helpful in the diagnosis of heart-related conditions.
    • Ejection fraction: The percentage of blood that leaves your heart with each squeeze is known as the ejection fraction.
  • Imaging Tests:
    • Chest X-ray: The state of the heart and lungs can be seen in the X-ray pictures.
    • Echocardiogram: Images of the beating heart are produced by sound waves. The heart's size, shape, valves, and blood flow are all demonstrated by this test.
    • CT scan of the heart: This examination, also known as a cardiac CT scan, creates cross-sectional images of the heart using X-rays.
    • Coronary angiogram: This test helps identify cardiac artery blockages.
  • Other Diagnostic:
    • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): This rapid and painless test records the electrical signals in the heart. It may display the heart's rhythm, either fast or slow.
    • Exercise tests or stress tests: During these examinations, the heart is generally monitored while walking on a treadmill or pedalling a stationary bike. Exercise tests can reveal how the heart reacts to exertion.
    • Myocardial biopsy: Microscopic sections of the heart muscle are removed for inspection by a medical specialist during this test.

Heart Failure rehabilitation options include:

  • Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: Coordinated efforts that support cardiac rehabilitation via exercise, education, and therapy.
  • Exercise and Physical Activity: Exercise plans to improve cardiovascular health and endurance under supervision.
  • Lifestyle Changes: Encouraging heart-healthy habits include controlling weight, giving up smoking, and making dietary changes.

Heart failure may be treated with a combination of medications.

  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  • Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
  • Angiotensin receptor plus neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs)
  • Beta-blockers
  • Diuretics
  • Potassium-sparing diuretics

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Hospitals for Heart Failure in Turkey

Medicana Bahcelievler Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Medicana Bahcelievler Hospital

Istanbul, Turkey

Medicana Bahcelievler Hospital located in Istanbul, Turkey is accredited by ISO, JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • Capacity of 89 beds
  • 6 Operating Rooms
  • 2 Delivery Rooms
  • Coronary Intensive Care Unit
  • General Intensive Care Unit
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • Dialysis Unit with 30 beds
Medicana Konya Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Medicana Konya Hospital

Konya, Turkey

Medicana Konya Hospital located in Konya, Turkey is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • Providing services in a closed area of 30.000 m2
  • It has a total of 80 physicians (including 32 specialist physicians), 37 academicians, 8 practitioners, 1 psychologist and 2 Dieticians
  • General and Neonatal Intensive Care Units
  • Total bed capacity for 223 beds with 49 in general intensive care, 7 in cardiovascular surgery intensive care, 9 beds in coronary intensive care unit, 41 in NICU and 117 service beds
  • Operating rooms are equipped with the latest medical technologies & state-of-the-art equipment like IT, MRI (1.5 Tesla), Mammography, Ultrasonography, etc.
  • Laboratories and Imaging Units
  • UHA Unit for International Patients
  • Pharmacies on Duty
  • Hospital rooms are categorized as Standard rooms and Suite rooms
  • Rooms are fully equipped with basic needs of a patient and their relatives, like TV, Mini Fridge, Nurse call system, telephone, central air conditioning ventilation system, etc.
  • 24-hour cafeteria
  • Parking lot
  • Mens & Womens Place of worship
Medicana Bursa Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Medicana Bursa Hospital

Bursa, Turkey

Medicana Bursa Hospital located in Bursa, Turkey is accredited by ISO, JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • Covers an indoor area of 40,000 sqm
  • 22-storey building
  • Capacity of 300 beds (100 intensive care beds and 200 single rooms)
  • Intensive care units with general intensive care units (reanimation)
  • Operating rooms are available for all kinds of surgeries
  • Cardiovascular surgery ICU
  • Neonatal ICU (NICU)
  • Coronary ICU
  • Emergency room
  • Bursa Hospital provides a 5-star hotel comfort to its patients and their relatives
  • Cinema and Conference hall with Medical explanations
  • Rest areas
  • Cafeteria
  • Game and Hobby sections for children
  • Dining room (designed for 1000 employees)
  • Terrace Rest Area

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Why Choose Turkey for Heart Failure Treatment?

Here are some of the reasons for choosing Turkey:

  • Advanced Healthcare Infrastructure: State-of-the-art medical facilities with specialised cardiac centers.
  • Expert Cardiologists: Experienced specialists in heart failure management.
  • Innovative Therapies: Access to device-based treatments and personalised medication plans.
  • Cost-Effective Care: High-quality treatment at competitive prices compared to many countries.
  • International Patient Support: Multilingual services and comprehensive support for global patients.
  • Improved Outcomes: Focus on personalised care to enhance patient recovery and quality of life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, many people with heart failure can have happy lives with the proper care, lifestyle modifications, and frequent monitoring. However, they may need to modify their activities to control their symptoms and avoid consequences.

A heart transplant may be an option for eligible individuals whose heart failure is severe and refractory to previous therapies. Long-term survival and better cardiac function are possible with this strategy.

In Turkey, heart failure treatment has good results, with a 1-year survival rate of 83% and a 5-year survival rate of 60%.

The achievement is attributed mainly to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), which includes advanced medication that has increased survival rates.

Turkey's advanced healthcare system and specialised cardiac care help to explain these positive results.

The cause, severity, and course of treatment all affect the prognosis. Many heart failure patients can have a high quality of life and live for many years with the proper care.

Heart failure therapies in Turkey are substantially less expensive than in Western countries, with high-quality care and cutting-edge technology available for a fraction of the price.

The cause, severity, and course of treatment all affect the prognosis. Many heart failure patients can have a high quality of life and live for many years with the proper care.

The inability of the heart to pump blood effectively is known as heart failure, whereas a heart attack happens when blood flow to a portion of the heart muscle is cut off, resulting in tissue damage.

Indeed, because heart failure reduces blood flow and oxygen availability, it can cause problems in other organs, including the kidneys, lungs, and liver.

Smoking damages blood vessels, raises blood pressure, and increases the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues, all of which exacerbate heart failure.