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| The New York Optimist |
Heart Failure
Yoshifumi Naka, MD, PhD
Director, Heart Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support Programs
Columbia University Medical Center
In Affiliation with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Phone: 1-800-227-2762
Heart failure can be life-threatening—prognosis of advanced heart failure is worse than any type of solid cancer—and heart
failure worsens over time. But it can also be controlled, improving quality and length of life.
Factors increasing risk of heart failure include: smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, coronary heart
disease, and a personal or family history of heart problems. If you are at risk for heart failure, consult your primary care
physician to find out if you require regular checkups and testing.
Symptoms of heart failure include:
feeling tired and unable to perform usual activities;
shortness of breath with minimal exercise, even while lying in bed;
swelling in the ankles, legs and abdomen;
pounding heart beats or a fast or irregular rhythm;
feeling dizzy, weak, or faint.
Treatment depends upon the severity, or stage, of the condition. Advanced-stage heart failure may be controlled by
medications that lower blood pressure, open blood vessels, help expel extra water and salt, and help the heart pump more
efficiently.
For end-stage heart failure, therapies beyond drugs are often recommended. Heart transplantation is an effective treatment,
but may not be an option because of waiting time for a donor heart and physical stresses associated with the procedure. A
cardiac assist device provides an additional option to support a patient’s life until a donor heart becomes available. An assist
device may also provide a long-term option for patients who are physically unable to undergo transplant.
Our team’s advice is: DON’T WAIT. If you are at risk, get evaluated. If you already have heart failure, evaluate all options
at a facility offering access to cardiologists, cardiac support experts, and surgeons, as well as the most current treatment
options.
