Eight Major Triggers of Heart Failure
Disease description:
I suddenly experienced difficulty breathing and swelling in both lower limbs, and was diagnosed with left heart failure. May I ask, what are the eight major triggers of heart failure?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Tian Hongbo
The pathogenesis of heart failure is complex. The following are the eight common triggers of heart failure:
1. Arrhythmias: Particularly rapid supraventricular arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, can affect the heart's pumping function and thereby trigger heart failure.
2. Infections: Especially respiratory infections such as viral or toxic myocarditis, can directly damage the myocardium or indirectly affect cardiac function by increasing the cardiac workload.
3. Cardiomyopathy: Including dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive cardiomyopathy, structural abnormalities of the myocardium directly impair the heart's pumping function.
4. Heart valve disease: Valve abnormalities such as mitral regurgitation and aortic stenosis can disrupt normal blood flow through the heart, leading to heart failure.
5. Anemia: In anemia, the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood decreases, forcing the heart to beat faster to compensate for the oxygen deficiency. Long-term strain may lead to myocardial damage.
6. Metabolic disorders: Conditions such as diabetes and thyroid dysfunction can indirectly lead to heart failure by affecting cardiac metabolism and vascular function.
7. Medication effects: Certain medications, such as beta blockers and quinidine, may have inhibitory effects on cardiac function.
8. Hypertension: Long-standing hypertension increases the workload on the heart, leading to left ventricular hypertrophy and eventually impairing cardiac function.
