75-year-old Uncle Zhao was diagnosed with heart failure (referred to as "heart failure") a few years ago, and his condition was well controlled after taking medication**, but he occasionally had symptoms of shortness of breath. However, in recent days, the temperature has plummeted, and Uncle Zhao has not paid attention to the cold, but this cold has hurt Uncle Zhao's "heart" and made Uncle Zhao feel uncomfortable. After Uncle Zhao went to the doctor, the doctor told him that the cold had induced an acute exacerbation of heart failure.
The cold winter is easy to induce the acute exacerbation of heart failure, and heart failure patients should "rest assured" to survive the winter, and keeping warm and preventing colds is the key.
Heart failure, also known as cardiac insufficiency, is a stage in which cardiovascular disease develops to a severe stage, when the heart's pumping function declines, the output of blood can not meet the body's metabolic needs, and the blood in organs and tissues cannot flow smoothly to the heart. There are many diseases that cause heart failure, among which coronary heart disease is one of the most common ** heart failure, hypertension is also a major risk factor for heart failure, in addition, myocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, diabetes, etc. can also lead to heart failure.
In addition to some underlying medical conditions that can lead to the occurrence of chronic heart failure, some risk factors in daily life can also lead to acute exacerbations of heart failure. Patients with cardiovascular diseases, especially the elderly with coronary heart disease, must pay attention to the following conditions in order to prevent acute attacks of heart failure in winter: the most common causes of acute exacerbations of heart failure are infections (especially upper respiratory tract infections such as colds and lung infections), increased activity, unauthorized withdrawal of medications, excessive water intake, and stress (sudden falls or mental blows).
In addition, if patients with heart failure are accompanied by other diseases, such as high blood pressure and high blood sugar, blood pressure spikes or poor blood sugar control, the symptoms of heart failure will also be exacerbated.
Chronic heart failure is a process of gradual loss of heart function, and if the patient can be detected early, the disease can be delayed. So, what are the symptoms of heart failure?
Heart failure first manifests as dyspnea, which is the most typical symptom of left-sided heart failure. However, some elderly people with lung disease may mistake shortness of breath for poor lung function, but there is a difference between shortness of breath manifested by heart failure and dyspnea caused by lung disease. Patients with heart failure often have paroxysmal dyspnea at night, which is manifested as easy to wake up when sleeping at night, chest tightness and shortness of breath when lying down, and often improve after changing body position, such as the need to sit up. In the case of dyspnea caused by lung disease, patients will still have shortness of breath even when they sit up, and changes in body position will not help to alleviate shortness of breath.
In addition to shortness of breath, patients with right-sided heart failure will present with edema of the lower extremities, especially the ankles, and severe swelling in the morning and afternoon. In addition, some patients with heart failure will also be accompanied by symptoms such as low blood pressure (90 60mmHg), purple lips, poor appetite, and cold (poor blood circulation) at the ends of the limbs.
Winter is the season of high incidence of heart failure, people with cardiovascular diseases should take care of their hearts to prevent the aggravation of heart failure, in addition to rational use of drugs under the guidance of doctors, they should also do the following:
Keep warm and avoid catching a cold
The cold weather in winter is the season of high incidence of respiratory diseases such as colds, flu, and pneumonia, and the heart and lungs are connected, and the fever, cough, and rapid heartbeat caused by lung infection will increase the burden on the heart and cause heart failure. Therefore, it is best to wear a mask and scarf when going out in winter, and pay attention to cold protection and warmth.
Don't drink too much water
If you are a patient with severe heart failure, if you have severe dyspnea and swollen feet, you must reduce the amount of water you drink or even stop drinking, otherwise it will aggravate heart failure. The principle of water intake for patients with heart failure is to maintain a balance between inflow and outlet, such as excreting 2000 ml of urine, the total amount of diet and drinking should not exceed 2000 ml, and if you urinate less, you should not drink too much water.
Limit salt
In severe cases, the daily salt intake is less than 3 grams. Because water and sodium are together, salt intake should also be particular, and patients with heart failure should have a low-salt diet. Patients with mild heart failure should not consume more than 6 grams of salt per day, and patients with severe heart failure should control their daily salt intake within 3 grams.
Reasonable work and rest, exercise moderately
Rest can significantly reduce the body's oxygen consumption, which is conducive to the resolution of edema. For acute and severe patients, bed rest should be maintained, and appropriate activities can be carried out after the heart function improves, such as walking, tai chi, etc., and the exercise should be based on the principle of no shortness of breath.
Appropriate intake of high-calorie foods such as high-quality protein
Heart failure patients can appropriately consume some high-calorie foods in winter, among which high-quality protein is a better choice, and you can eat more high-quality protein such as fish and chicken.