Half of them die in five years
Heart failure, this « insidious and extremely unpleasant disease » as described by the doctor in the Clinical Department of Vascular Diseases UKC Ljubljana Primarija dr. Matija Cevc, It affects about 64 million people worldwide. As much as two percent is the prevalence of patients with heart failure in the general population of developed countries, and even 10 % among the ages of 70.
Heart failure should not stop us It is the leading thought of this year’s European awareness days, which will be dedicated to the week between May 5 and 11.
Dr. Matija Cevc. Photo: Tomi Lombar
In Slovenia, patients with different levels of heart failure are expected to be between 20,000 and 40,000, which is – Cevc – A very large number that will be doubled by 2040 due to the aging of the population.
Heart failure is one of the most common diseases of the heart that impairs the quality of life and causes fairly high mortality. As many as one fifth discharged from the hospital will be hospitalized again in one year due to impaired heart failure, says Dr. Cevc adds that advanced heart failure causes more serious problems and is also more fatal than most cancer.
One fifth of the hospital will be hospitalized again in one year for impaired cardiac letting. Photo: Shutterstock
In order to improve this « bad statistics », it is important to « move away » as much as possible. How? By following the recommendations of a healthy lifestyle, the CEVC’s primaries are responsible. Regular daily physical activity, such as one -hour walking at a slightly accelerated pace, from 5 to 6 miles per hour, or walking football, helping to maintain a healthy heart and body.
from 5 to 6 km
walking in one hour preventively keeps the heart and body healthy every day
Cycling and swimming are also good prevention, as well as a balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and with as little high -grown foods, sweets and salt as possible. High weight or obesity and smoking also burden the heart. Alcohol is also poison. Heart failure should be recognized as soon as possible and start treating it. A warning for heart failure is a sudden exacerbation of capacity or if a person is breathing with less physical exertion, swelling of the legs, general fatigue …
Symptoms of heart failure. Photo: Boehringer Ingelheim
In oncological leaps, in cardiology not yet
According to an associate professor, a specialist cardiologist at UKC Ljubljana dr. Gregor Poglajnain heart failure, it is one of the few cardiac diagnoses that increases and that these patients have many associated diseases, which are most often brought to the emergency treatment. Also, these patients are relatively often returned to the hospital. Their prognosis is not good, says Dr. Poglajen: “We are talking about 40 to 50 % mortality in five years. We like to compare with oncologists. In many diseases in their field, we have a major leap about survival in the last 20 years, but unfortunately we cannot boast about it. However, in the area of (non) pharmacological therapy of heart failure, there has also been a significant breakthrough in our country. «
40- to 50 %
is the mortality rate of patients with heart failure within five years
Otherwise, early confirmation of the diagnosis is important in heart failure. « Every monthly month means a worse prognosis of these patients, » warns Dr. Poglajen adds that the therapy is fully covered by the health insurance company, which also does not praise the « more » developed countries. Slovenia, however, is at the very top of the world by the number of heart transplants per million inhabitants.
It is important that the patient also recognizes symptoms
Among the main risk factors for heart failure of the cardiology specialist from the Cardiological Clinic ZD Domžale dr. Tjaša Vižintin Cuderman It mentions high blood pressure, if not properly treated, coronary disease, heart valve defects and unmanaged heart rhythm disorders. Rarer causes are inflammation of the heart muscle, hereditary defects of the heart muscle, some types of chemotherapy or serious thyroid disease…
Physical inactivity, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can indirectly contribute to heart failure. The relative novelty of the last ten years, however, is, as Dr. Cuderman that in some diseases that contribute to heart failure, such as diabetes, have medicines that slow or prevent the onset of the disease.
20,000 to 40,000
Patients are in Slovenia with different levels of heart failure
Awareness of the population is of the utmost importance, the doctor agrees, as it is important that patients also recognize the symptoms themselves and alert them to the doctor.
Developed heart failure can also lead to defect in other organs: often to kidney failures, liver… “Early treatment not only helps the heart but also other organs and prevents deterioration of their function. Patients and doctors are here in a partnership, « emphasized Dr. Cuderman, « and only together and with a lot of knowledge on both sides », it will be possible to improve worrying numbers of heart failure.
