INDIANAPOLIS – Congestive heart failure affects nearly five million Americans, and it is the most common reason for hospital admission for those older than 65. Without proper treatment and significant lifestyle changes, patients with the condition are hospitalized more frequently and experience a rapidly diminished quality of life.Polly Moore, M.D., a cardiologist for St. Francis Heart Center, will share what patients need to know about monitoring CHF and when to seek medical help at a class, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 24, at the Heart Center’s Community Center, located on the St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis campus, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.
“Studies have shown that educating patients about their heart conditions improves their quality of life, reduces the need for subsequent hospitalizations and ultimately improves their long-term outlook,” said Moore.
CHF doesn’t mean the heart has stopped working. It means that the heart muscle has become weak and is unable to pump blood adequately to meet the body’s demands. As a result, patients experience fatigue, shortness of breath, along with ankle and leg swelling and abdominal bloating because the heart is unable to pump away excess fluid in the body.
Ninety percent of the CHF patients who are admitted to the hospital are suffering from fluid overload or congestion.
Several conditions can cause CHF, the most common of which include a prior heart attack, high blood pressure (this is the most common cause in women) and occasionally a specific viral infection.
To register for the class, call 317-782-4422 or go to www.heartattackcare.net.
