# What is heart failure? **URL:** \ **Category:** Health\ **Created:** [October 1, 2020, 6:41am UTC](https://howtodiscuss.com/t/what-is-heart-failure/22130 "2020-10-01T06:41:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 7
**Author:** ![Zainaab\_Hussain](https://howtodiscuss.com/user_avatar/howtodiscuss.com/zainaab_hussain/32/3603_2.png) [@Zainaab\_Hussain](https://howtodiscuss.com/u/Zainaab_Hussain)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 8:14am UTC](https://howtodiscuss.com/t/what-is-heart-failure/22130/7 "2020-11-24T08:14:43Z")
_ **How long can you live with heart failure?** _ _Earlier people could live with heart failure for a very short time, but nowadays people can live with heart failure for a long time only by using good medications and devices that can boost the pumping power of failure parts of the heart. with the help of these medicines, people with heart failure can live a good quality of life for a long time._ _Nowadays such therapies have been identified that control symptoms and prevent death. If you have cardiac arrest once in your life, your life expectancy decreases, and each time when you face it, it will take a little bit out of you and makes you weaker._ _ **Can you recover from heart failure?** _ _No doubt, [heart disease is serious](https://howtodiscuss.com/t/what-is-heart-failure/22130) and many cases can’t be reversed but it is preventable if you are willing to practice healthy habits. Only regular treatment can make changes in your heart failure and help you live longer. Pay attention to your body how you feel and if you are not feeling well, go for treatment before it gets worse._ _After your treatment for heart failure, you received more instructions and information, follow them, feel your condition, and avoid the things that are bad for your health. Make [prevention](https://howtodiscuss.com/t/prevention/11994) your first priority._ _ **What does it mean if you have heart failure?** _ _Heart failure means that your heart is unable to adequately supply blood to the different parts of the body so that all major functions of the bodywork improperly and [insufficiently](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/insufficiently) than normal._ _Heart failure is [chronic progressive](https://www.medicinenet.com/chronic/definition.htm) and the [pathophysiological state](https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-1-4419-1005-9_43) in which the heart is unable to meet the sufficient needs of the heart and lungs. Heart failure does not mean that your heart stops working._ _Congestive heart failure is the same condition in which your heart pump improperly, it affects the pumping power of the heart. In this condition, fluid is buildup around the heart and cause it to pump improperly._ _ **What are the four signs your heart quietly failing?** _ _There are many signs of heart failure, but there are some silent signs and symptoms of heart failure that may go unnoticed earlier, and it is hazardous to ignore them because they may cause a huge amount of damage._ _These silent signs of heart failure include:_ _1- chest pain or pressure fullness or discomfort._ _2- [fatigue](https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/fatigue) and weakness._ _3- shortness of breath._ _4- [nausea](https://www.medicinenet.com/nausea/symptoms.htm) and cold sweat._ _ **What is the end stage of heart failure?** _ _In the end-stage of heart failure, you will have shortness of breath while you are lying at the bed or you are in resting condition, weakness, and swelling. These are caused by the most common hypertension, longstanding alcohol abuse, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, [idiopathic](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiopathic) (unknown cause) such as after recovery from [myocarditis,](https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/myocarditis) and disorders of the heart valves._ _ **What foods cardiologists say to avoid?** _ _In heart diseases you just need to avoid unhealthy and high cholesterol food and to increase the amount of healthy food. It is very easier to subtract than to add. You can improve your quality of life just by reducing unhealthy food from your life._ _ **avoid salt:** _ _to stop or reduce the sodium intake in your body you should first stop taking salt in your diet_ _ **avoid potato chips:** _ _potato chips are high in fat and sodium that’s why a person who has heart failure should avoid these kinds of foods._ _ **avoid wine:** _ _your heart can not pump very well by the frequent use of alcohol. Alcohol can make heart failure worse therefore doctors recommended avoiding alcohol use._ _ **Water intake:** _ _if you have heart failure take a limited amount of fluid like water about 1-2litre. Drinking a lot of water can increase the fluid in your body and increases the workload on your weak heart._ _ **white bread:** _ _white bread has high processed grains that have no healthful effect on your body. Too much white bread contributes to obesity and heart diseases._ _ **What foods are good for a weak heart?** _ _Diet plays a major role in your health. Eat fruits and vegetables and take those foods which are low in sodium and fat._ _Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin k which protect arteries and promote blood clotting and reduce blood pressure thus improve heart activities._ _Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries are rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins so that they protect against oxidative stress and reduce inflammation thus reduce the risk of heart failure. Blueberries also reduce blood clotting and help the inner cells of blood vessels and control the blood pressure ._ _Avocados have potassium and are an excellent source of monosaturated fats which reduced the level of cholesterol. Regular intake of potassium decreases the blood pressure and can lower the risk of heart failure._ _Asparagus is a source of folate which prevents the build-up of amino acid in the body that is called homocysteine. High homocysteine has been linked with the many heart linked diseases_ _regular eating of broccoli can lower the level of cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease._ --- _[View the full topic](https://howtodiscuss.com/t/what-is-heart-failure/22130)._