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EVERY DAY, KADLEC hospitalist
Asif Malik, MD, cares for patients in
the medical center with congestive heart
failure (CHF). That’s not surprising
considering nearly 5 million Americans
live with the disease. The condition
leads to more than 1 million hospital
stays, including many repeat visits and
is the leading cause of hospitalization
in the elderly, playing a role in as many
as 80 percent of heart-related inpatient
admissions. It is the fastest growing
cardiovascular disease in the United States.
Heart failure can be life-threatening,
and it can lead to sudden death. People
with heart failure may have severe
symptoms, and some may require heart
transplantation or support with an
artificial heart device.
While CHF cannot be cured, for
many, it can be successfully managed.
And, that’s where Dr. Malik’s extra
training can help. He has done
fellowship work in CHF and cardiac
Understanding
congestive heart failure
transplant, which helps him provide
important care at Kadlec and also serve
as a resource for other physicians.
What is CHF?
Heart failure is a serious, chronic
condition in which the heart is not able
to pump enough blood throughout the
body. To compensate, the heart may
work harder by enlarging the heart
chambers, thickening the heart walls or
beating faster.
While this may work initially,
eventually the heart loses pumping
capacity and cannot keep up. Symptoms
subsequently develop, including fatigue,
shortness of breath, coughing and leg
swelling. CHF often develops after
other conditions have damaged or
weakened the heart.
“Congestive heart failure can easily
fool you,” said Dr. Malik. “Patients don’t
always know something is going on with
the heart when they experience some
of the symptoms. But if a person has a
cough, it could be CHF. If the person
has trouble sleeping, it could be CHF. If
there is a lack of appetite, it could be CHF.
“When a person has these symptoms,
it is important not to overlook them,
especially for the patient who has had
heart diseases in the past,” he said.
Who is at risk for CHF?
Risk factors for developing CHF
include high blood pressure, coronary
heart disease, past heart attack, irregular
heartbeats, diabetes, viruses, severe lung
disease, congenital heart defects and
alcohol use.
While anyone can develop CHF, it
is more common in African Americans,
men and people age 65 and older.
Treatment options
“In the past, when a person was
diagnosed with CHF, it was the end of
their life,” said Dr. Malik. “Today, with
the new treatment options, people can
do amazingly well.”
Even when the heart muscle is
impaired, symptoms can be relieved and
the gradual worsening of the condition
can be slowed.
Doctors work to treat the underlying
cause of CHF, prescribe medications
and sometimes offer surgical options.
“Treatment really begins with the
patient,” said Dr. Malik. “Changes in
lifestyle are critical. Restricting salt
intake is key, as is getting enough
water. It is important to exercise, even
if you get very tired when exercising. If
you smoke or drink, you should quit
immediately.
“CHF is no longer a death sentence.
Treatment has significantly improved.
When I see patients in the hospital with
CHF, just small changes in medications
can make a tremendous difference.
Combine that with lifestyle changes, and
people can now live a long and active life
with it.”
For more information on
the symptoms of CHF, risk
factors and various treatment
options, visit
Pacesetter
online.
Asif Malik, MD
Definition of CHF
The term “congestive heart failure”
comes from blood backing up
into—or congesting—the liver,
abdomen, lower extremities and
lungs. Heart failure develops
when the heart doesn’t function
properly. The names heart failure
and congestive heart failure do
not mean the heart has actually
“failed” or stopped, but means
one or more chambers of the heart
“fail” to keep up with the volume of
blood flowing through them.