Heart fact: Do you know one of the most common reasons that older people end up in the hospital?

It’s heart failure, a condition in which the person’s heart loses some of its ability to pump blood throughout the body. As a result, not enough oxygen is able to reach the body’s cells.

Though the name may sound alarming – like it’s happening immediately – heart failure is typically something that the person has been managing for a while.

In fact, it’s sometimes called “the silent epidemic” because it develops slowly and a person may go along for years without having any symptoms.

However, heart failure tends to get progressively worse as a person ages. That’s because typically, the person’s heart has to work hard over time to deal with the problem. The heart tries to make up for its own weakening by getting larger and forcing itself to pump faster to move more blood through the body.

Who is more likely to develop heart failure?

The leading causes of heart failure are coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. You are also at greater risk if you have had a past heart attack.

Other causes can include congenital heart defects (those you are born with), heart muscle diseases, such as cardiomyopathy, severe lung disease, or alcohol and drug abuse.

The American Heart Association estimates that more than 5 million people in the United States – mostly older adults – already have heart failure and another 400,000 people will develop the condition each year.

What are some symptoms?

When the heart has a weakened pumping ability it causes several problems:

• Blood and fluid tend to back up into the lungs (a condition called congestive heart failure or CHF)
• The person may experience a buildup of fluid, or swelling, in the feet, ankles and legs
• The person typically notices tiredness and shortness of breath
• The person may have difficulty breathing when lying down

Can it be treated?

Fortunately, yes. Many people with heart failure are able to live a comfortable life if they learn to follow their doctor’s orders and to take good care of themselves.

Experts now recommend a combination of several drugs to help the heart pump better and to improve blood circulation.

Sometimes, doctors may recommend surgery or percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to treat the underlying cardiac problem. These may include angioplasty or stents to open blocked coronary arteries.

If you are diagnosed with heart failure, it is important to seek out good medical care and to learn all you can about managing this condition. You must also take your prescribed medication, and follow any eating and exercise plans that the doctor has given.

Heart Failure Clinic

McLaren Macomb offers specialized help for people living with heart failure. The hospital’s Heart Failure Clinic provides one-on-one counseling by advanced practice nurses who work closely with the patient’s doctors.

The clinic uses an effective team approach, involving physicians, pharmacists, home care workers, dieticians, clinical social workers and cardiac rehabilitation specialists.

The goal is to make sure that patients in the program are thoroughly educated about heart failure and the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices.

For more information, please call (586) 493-8844.