2007-11-15 06:17:20 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
The bad news it that it can kill you. In fact it will... CHF is 100% fatal.
The good news it won't kill you today.
What exactly IS Congestive Heart Failure? Well, assume you have this rubber ball. You squeeze it and squeeze it day after day, and still it bounces like the day you bought it. That's how the heart is supposed to work.
But one day you are squeezing your rubber ball and you notice it feels "mushy". Then you bounce it on the floor and it doesn't bounce as high as it once did. It's being squeezed so hard that it is losing its elasticity. That is CHF.
When I was diagnosed with Heart Failure, the average survival rate was five years. That was SIX years ago! According to the statistics, I should be gone, or waiting on the end. But I'm up and about, living a good life, and doing well. If I die today it will probably be because I accidentally stepped in front of a bus.
Heart failure can be controlled and it can be slowed down, IF you decide to take care of yourself. The first thing to do is exercise. Walking is a good exercise -- you can't really go wrong, and you can start as small as you have to. Not used to it? It's not a problem -- just do what you can, and stop. And try to do a little more the next day, and the next, and so on.
The trick, I believe, may not be to walk fast, but to walk steady. Walk as fast as you can, as slow as you need to, but DON'T STOP. Keep going until you have to stop. When you do have to stop, stop for a short as a time as possible, and then start walking again.
It will take time to build up. The first day I walked, they told me to walk for 15 minutes, and I couldn't do it. Now I can walk 4 miles!
You will be prescribed fluid pills, make sure you take them. Have you been put on the heart failure diet? If not, there are only two guidelines: No more than 2000 milliliters of fluid a day, and no more of 2000 milligrams of sodium per day.
The sodium is the hard part. 2000 milliliters is more than 67 ounces, you can handle that. But you will have to start checking the cans and packages when you buy groceries, and for a while it will take much longer to decide what you will eat than it will to prepare and eat it. But it becomes like second nature to you. Someone will offer you food and it will "click" in your head about how much sodium is in that item, and you'll decide if you can have some or just pass the plate to the next person.
The quickest way to help yourself is to move the salt shaker to the other end of the table. And tell your family that under NO circumstances are they to pass it to you. Keep the cook away from the salt shaker, also. Cook the food as it is, if people want some salt, they can salt their own portions!
As soon as you wake up in the morning, go to the bathroom and urinate. Then weigh yourself. (No clothes, or as little as possible) Write down the date and your weight, and check it EVERY day. If you ever gain more than 3 pounds in a 24 hour period, call your doctor and report it. They may tell you to take an extra fluid pill, or to go easy on the drinking for a day or so.
Heart failure can be controlled, if you decide right from the beginning you are going to take care of yourself.
2007-11-15 10:15:32 · answer #1 · answered by another_guy_named_steve 4 · 7⤊ 0⤋
Is Congestive Heart Failure Fatal
2016-10-01 08:23:45 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-05-18 17:10:54 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-09-18 12:56:32 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not good news.
Congestive heart failure is a progressive, fatal disease. The only cure is a heart transplant. Statistically you have a 47% chance of survival 5 years after diagnosis. ( I wish I had the reference where I read that, it was a reputable site). That's the depressing part.
My Cardiologist, who is the eternal optimist has told me - "some people live a long time in your condition." He has also said that " longevity seems to be related to self discipline". That translates to eat right, exercise and take your meds, no stress, rest when you need it ............
Another guy named steve has good advice.
If you need some advice, send me a note but I will be leaving for a little over a week in the morning.
Check into Cardiac Rehab for yourself or whoever has it.. Cardiac Rehab is a life saver worth every penny many times over. To date it has kept me out of the emergency room at least 4 times because I knew what to do and it made me feel MUCH better.
2007-11-15 17:51:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Can Congestive heart failure kill someone?
2015-08-06 01:35:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Recent screening studies in European member states showed that approximately three per cent of adults aged 45 or over had definite or probable heart failure. The incidence of heart failure rises steeply with age and men are more likely to be affected than women, especially below the age of 65.
Survey data from different populations suggests that the overall prevalence of congestive heart failure in persons 75 years of age and older is about 9-10 per cent. It is believed, that the sharp increase is partially the result of age-related changes in the cardiovascular system which compromise cardiac function.
As changes become more prominent and interact with atherosclerotic heart disease, valve stenosis, hypertension, and other cardiac diseases common in the elderly, the incidence of CHF increases sharply. Between 50 and 60 per cent of people admitted to hospital with CHF die within five years. It is estimated that CHF is responsible for over 600,000 admissions to hospital and 55,000 deaths in the European Union.
2016-07-26 18:29:13 · answer #7 · answered by malar 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, yes. CHF (Congestive heart failure) is common and can be deadly. With proper medication and a careful lifestyle (often restricting the amount of fluids you take in to an amount determined by your doctor) it can be controlled.
2007-11-15 06:24:24 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
YES! Congestive heart FAILURE means just that. Fluid builds up in the Lungs and around the heart, making them work much harder and finally they just quit under pressure.
2007-11-15 07:00:48 · answer #9 · answered by Choralen L 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
absolutely! someone with CHF is literally drowning in their own secretions. It does not take long for someone to die when they are in full blown CHF. My hubby has it and when he starts gasping for breath, and is wheezing he is in a full blown attack, so I give him extra diuretics and put his oxygen on and keep him in his hospital bed in a totally upright position, and wait to see what happens,His MD's know his condition and I keep them informed, otherwise we would be in the ER once a wk.
2007-11-15 06:30:46 · answer #10 · answered by lonepinesusan 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋