Blog Post

Congestive Heart Failure

  • By Kyle Knight
  • •
  • 20 Mar, 2019
  • •

CHF

CHF - Congestive Heart Failure - Primary Care Offices
CHF - Congestive Heart Failure

CHF

Congestive Heart Failure

 

You don't have to face HF alone

The term “heart failure” makes it sound like the heart is no longer working at all and there’s nothing that can be done. Actually, heart failure means that the heart isn’t pumping as well as it should be. Congestive heart failure is a type of heart failure that requires seeking timely medical attention, although sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably.

 

Your body depends on the heart’s pumping action to deliver oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the body’s cells. When the cells are nourished properly, the body can function normally. With heart failure, the weakened heart can’t supply the cells with enough blood. This results in fatigue and shortness of breath and some people have coughing. Everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries can become very difficult.

 

Heart failure 

Heart failure is a term used to describe a heart that cannot keep up with its workload. The body may not get the oxygen it needs.

Heart failure is a serious condition, and usually there’s no cure. But many people with heart failure lead a full, enjoyable life when the condition is managed with heart failure medications and healthy lifestyle changes. It’s also helpful to have the support of family and friends who understand your condition.

 

How the normal heart works

The normal healthy heart is a strong, muscular pump a little larger than a fist. It pumps blood continuously through the circulatory system.

 

The heart has four chambers, two on the right and two on the left:

Two upper chambers called atria (one is called an atrium)

Two lower chambers called ventricles

The right atrium takes in oxygen-depleted blood from the rest of the body and sends it back out to the lungs through the right ventricle where the blood becomes oxygenated. 

Oxygen-rich blood travels from the lungs to the left atrium, then on to the left ventricle, which pumps it to the rest of the body.

 The heart pumps blood to the lungs and to all the body’s tissues through a sequence of highly organized contractions of the four chambers. For the heart to function properly, the four chambers must beat in an organized way.

 

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen. Basically, the heart can’t keep up with its workload.

At first the heart tries to make up for this by:

 

Enlarging. The heart stretches to contract more strongly and keep up with the demand to pump more blood. Over time this causes the heart to become enlarged.

Developing more muscle mass. The increase in muscle mass occurs because the contracting cells of the heart get bigger. This lets the heart pump more strongly, at least initially.

Pumping faster. This helps increase the heart’s output.

The body also tries to compensate in other ways:

 

The blood vessels narrow to keep blood pressure up, trying to make up for the heart’s loss of power.

The body diverts blood away from less important tissues and organs (like the kidneys), the heart and brain.

These temporary measures mask the problem of heart failure, but they don’t solve it. Heart failure continues and worsens until these compensating processes no longer work.

 

Eventually the heart and body just can’t keep up, and the person experiences the fatigue, breathing problems or other symptoms that usually prompt a trip to the doctor.

 

The body’s compensation mechanisms help explain why some people may not become aware of their condition until years after their heart begins its decline. (It's also a good reason to have a regular checkup with your doctor.)

 

Heart failure can involve the heart’s left side, right side or both sides. However, it usually affects the left side first.


Need Help with CHF?

If you or a loved one find yourself troubled with CHF, contact Primary Care Offices. They can help you identify the problem and get the help you need. 

Also keep in mind that at Primary Care Offices, we have doctors who accept Medicare and Medicaid on staff, as well as others who are on the list of Humana healthcare providers.

Contact Primary Care Offices for a same day doctor’s appointment at one of our conveniently located offices. Give us a call at 954-450-9595, chat online, or visit our patient portal on our home page to get a comprehensive health exam.

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Best supplements for high blood pressure 

By MATT ATHERTON • 20 Mar, 2019

SUPPLEMENTS could be used to prevent high blood pressure symptoms and signs. You could lower your risk of hypertension by regularly adding these cheap capsules to your daily diet. Could you be at risk of high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is a common condition that affects more than 25 per cent of all adults in the US. The condition, which is also known as hypertension, could be caused by eating an unhealthy diet, or by not doing enough exercise. Diagnosing the condition early is vital, as it raises the risk of some deadly complications, including heart attacks and strokes. But you could lower your chances of high blood pressure by regularly taking magnesium supplements, it’s been claimed.

Magnesium helps to regulate your blood pressure bye relaxing blood vessels, revealed Harvard Medical School.

Not getting enough magnesium in your diet could lead to constricted blood vessels, and therefore high blood pressure.

For the best anti-hypertensive effects, choose a magnesium l-threonate supplement to top up on magnesium, added Dr Joseph Mercola.

“Along with an active lifestyle and healthy dietary habits, supplements may help reduce your high blood pressure levels safely and naturally,” said the physician.

“Magnesium deficiency due to insulin resistance is one of the causes behind constricted blood vessels, which in turn leads to hypertension.

To help your blood vessels relax and dilate, you should maintain optimum magnesium levels.

“If you're planning to take a magnesium supplement, go for magnesium l-threonate, since it's formulated for maximum absorption and it doesn't have laxative properties.

“Before you take any supplements, make sure that you consult your physician first to determine the proper dosage for your needs, or to check if these supplements are suitable for your condition in the first place.”

But you should be able to top up on magnesium from your diet, without needing a supplement, said Harvard Medical School.

The best sources of magnesium include dark leafy vegetables, unrefined grains, and legumes.

Taking too much magnesium from a supplement could lead to diarrhea, but there aren’t any known side effects of eating too much magnesium.

You could also lower your blood pressure by making sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet, and by doing regular exercise.

Everyone should aim to do at least  150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week.

High blood pressure is often known as ‘the silent killer’, because you may not even know you have it.

Hypertension symptoms only tend to reveal themselves if you have extremely high blood pressure.

Common high blood pressure symptoms include severe headaches, having a pounding in the chest, and finding blood in your urine.

Need Advice on Hypertension and High Blood Pressure?

Are you experiencing high blood pressure? You should talk with your doctor about how you can improve you health, and Primary Care Offices have the knowledge to help. Contact Primary Care Offices for a same day doctor’s appointment at one of our conveniently located offices all over South Florida. Give us a call at 954-450-9595 , chat online , or visit our patient portal on our homepage to get you feeling better in no time.

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Diabetes and Nut intake

By Kyle Knight • 15 Mar, 2019
Diabetes: Nuts could reduce cardiovascular risk

New evidence supports the current recommendation for people with type 2 diabetes to eat nuts to prevent cardiovascular issues and premature death.
Woman happily eating nuts
People with diabetes may benefit from eating nuts.
Nuts are packed full of essential nutrients that could benefit overall health.
They contain high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamin E, folate, and minerals, including potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
The latest research has shown that nut consumption may help reduce the risk of chronic disease.

A recent study, which featured in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, identified an association between eating nuts and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Type 2 diabetes and nut consumption

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way in which the body metabolizes glucose, which is its primary source of fuel. Possible complications include kidney damage and cardiovascular disease.

According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2015, more than 30 million people in the United States had diabetes.

In the same year, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., with over 250,000 death certificates listing it as an underlying or contributing cause of death.
Every year, doctors diagnose 1.5 million cases of diabetes in the U.S.

Over the years, several studies have linked nut consumption to the prevention of coronary heart disease. In 2010, researchers noted that the results of these studies justified exploring the use of nuts in managing the symptoms and complications of diabetes.
A new study, which the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research has published, found additional evidence that supports the recommendation of incorporating nuts into a balanced diet to reduce the risk of heart disease in people with diabetes.

Boosting nut intake

In this latest study, researchers used self-reported diet questionnaires about nut consumption. Close to 16,000 adults participated, and they filled out the questionnaires before and after they received a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

The researchers found that all types of nut offered health benefits, especially tree nuts.
As the name suggests, tree nuts, which include almonds and walnuts, grow on trees, while groundnuts, such as peanuts, grow underground. Tree nuts may offer more benefits because they contain higher amounts of nutrients in comparison with groundnuts.
Their analysis showed that people with type 2 diabetes who ate five servings of nuts per week had a 17-percent reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and a 34-percent lower risk of death relating to this condition.

Those who consumed more nuts after their diabetes diagnosis had an 11-percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 25-percent reduced risk of death related to heart disease compared with people who did not increase their intake of nuts.
"Our findings provide new evidence that supports the recommendation of including nuts in [healthful] dietary patterns for the prevention of cardiovascular disease complications and premature deaths among individuals with diabetes," said Dr. Gang Liu, Ph.D., lead study author and nutritional sciences researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA.

Even small increases might help

The team of researchers found that eating even a small number of nuts made a significant difference. Each additional serving per week of nuts led to a 3-percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease and a 6-percent lower risk of death due to heart disease.

Although the specific effects of nuts on heart health are not clear, findings suggest that the nutrients in nuts may improve blood pressure, blood sugar control, and inflammation as well as enhancing the metabolism of fats and promoting blood vessel wall function.
"Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and a major cause of heart attacks, strokes, and disability for people living with type 2 diabetes," says Dr. Prakash Deedwania, a professor of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine in Fresno and a member of the Know Diabetes by Heart science advisory committee. He continues:

"Efforts to understand the link between the two conditions are important to prevent cardiovascular complications of type 2 diabetes and help people make informed choices about their health."

Dr. Deedwania added that these findings add to the growing evidence that a healthful lifestyle, regular exercise, and a balanced diet can all have a significant favorable effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes.

Get Treatment at Primary Care Offices

Primary Care Offices, we have doctors who accept all insurances, as well as others who are on the list of Humana healthcare providers.

Set up a same-day doctor appointment by calling 954-450-9595 or chat with us online on our website www.primarycareoffices.com  contact form to get started now.

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