Who gets Heart Failure?

Just about anyone can develop heart failure, but there are people who are more at risk than others. Contact your doctor right away if you suffer from any one of these conditions which could elevate your risk of heart failure:

• Obesity or excessive weight
• Chronic high blood pressure (Hypertension)
• Blockages in the arteries of the heart (Coronary artery disease)
• History of heart attack, which may have caused scar tissue that interferes with the heart’s operation
• Heart valve disease, especially aortic or mitral valve disease
• Cardiomyopathy, a primary disease of the heart muscle
• Congenital heart defects (a rare cause of heart failure in adults)
• Inflammation of the heart muscle (Myocarditis)
• Diabetes
• Sustained rapid heart rhythms
  

Certain lifestyle choices can also increase your risk of developing heart failure including:

• Heavy consumption of alcohol, or drug abuse
• Failure to take medications for hypertension, diabetes or heart disease
• Poor diet (especially diets that are high in fat and salt)
• Lack of exercise

Luckily, lifestyle choices are easy to adjust and making some changes now can decrease your chances of developing heart failure. Medical conditions, such as those listed above, can be treated and managed to lessen the effects of heart failure.

If any of these symptoms or conditions apply to you, consult your doctor for a full evaluation.