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 Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, is a common medical condition in which the heart is no longer pumping blood to the body as well as it should. When the heart is weakened and pumping function is reduced, the heart tries to compensate by working harder, which can cause the heart to get bigger and become more round or ball-shaped. With heart failure, the excess strain on your heart may result in symptoms such as:
• Feeling tired (fatigue)
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Swelling (fluid build-up) often in legs, feet, or lungs
• Chest pain
Heart failure is a serious condition, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Heart failure affects more than 5 million people in the United States with almost half a million new cases each year.
Fortunately, doctors have many medications and treatment options available that can help you manage your symptoms and reduce the impact heart failure has on your daily life. Current treatments generally include lifestyle modifications (including healthy eating habits and exercise). Most patients also take medications such as ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and diuretics. These drugs can reduce the amount of swelling and extra fluid in the body and help the pumping function of the heart.
However, many patients still have a lot of disabling symptoms despite these medications. In these severe cases, patients may also benefit from surgical procedures such as heart valve repairs (mitral valve repair or replacement), LVADs (Left Ventricular Assist Devices), or a heart transplant.
Clinical trials are also currently assessing investigational devices, such as Acorn’s CorCap Cardiac Support Device, as potential therapies for patients with moderate to severe heart failure. The CorCap is a mesh fabric that is placed around the heart. It provides support to the heart, which could reduce the stress that causes the heart to enlarge. By reducing the stress on the heart, the heart may be able to repair itself and become a smaller, more efficient pump and reduce the impact of common heart failure symptoms on daily life.
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