Heart failure: symptoms and treatment in the elderly

How to treat heart failure in the elderly is a question that many people often ask themselves.

It is worth knowing that you can get rid of the symptoms: for this you need to consult a doctor in a timely manner and start taking medications.

It is certainly necessary to treat heart failure at any age. It should be borne in mind that therapy should be complete. Medication should be supplemented with a diet and a measured lifestyle.

Manifestations of heart failure in the elderly

With age, cardinal changes occur in organs and systems. These processes are closely related to the natural changes that occur in the human body.

The impetus for the development of heart failure in old age can be heart disease acquired in youth and in adulthood. In people over 60 years of age, cerebral circulation is disturbed, atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases develop.

In old age, the human heart increases in size. This pathological process has a medical name - myocardial hypertrophy. At this age, atherosclerotic plaques are deposited in the heart valves and coronary arteries.

A higher risk of developing the disease in people:

• suffering from ischemic disease;
• who have had a myocardial infarction;
• with arterial hypertension;
• suffering from diabetes.

Among them are:

• weakness;
• drowsiness;
• increased fatigue;
• irritability;
• depression;
• dyspnea;
• noise in ears;
• gagging;
• cough;
• leg swelling.

Also, among the symptoms, one can distinguish a deterioration in the mental activity of patients. Diagnosis is complicated by the fact that obvious manifestations (such as shortness of breath and swelling of the legs) appear only when irreversible changes occur in the functioning of the organ.

Treatment is complicated by the fact that heart failure in adulthood is accompanied by several diseases in which certain drugs are not possible.

Cough with heart disease

Cough accompanies the course of many cardiological diseases. Patients with problems in the work of the heart often turn to a cardiologist when a cough interferes with a lifestyle that has been familiar for many years.

Bronchospasm can be triggered by:

• mitral valve problems;
• cardiosclerosis;
• heart attack;
• myocarditis;
• cardiomyopathy.

These diseases cause vasospasm, especially pronounced in the chest. Such failures provoke bronchospasm, which is manifested by coughing. As a result, such a pathology can cause cardiac asthma. And then the treatment will be complicated by a concomitant disease.

Cough in heart failure is manifested as follows:

1. Sputum is absent completely or comes out slightly with splashes of blood.
2. During a coughing fit, the lips turn blue.
3. During coughing, the pulse quickens, the pain in the heart intensifies.
4. The veins in the neck swell during a coughing fit.
5. Prolonged seizure leads to fainting.

It is impossible to treat cough as a symptom of the disease separately. You can get rid of cough only with the help of an integrated approach. This requires treatment for heart failure.

In this case, you should not self-medicate or use non-traditional methods of healing. Of course, some herbs will help get rid of a cough, but they can also aggravate the course of heart failure.

Cardiologists recommend that patients use medications during a coughing fit, for example:

• Losartan;
• Atakand.

These are vasoconstrictor drugs, they restore blood flow, have an expectorant effect, relieve spasm and stop coughing. At the same time with them for treatment, it is recommended to take diuretics that reduce swelling in the tissues.

It is important to note that the relief of a coughing fit can be carried out regardless of the prescribed treatment.

Treatment of heart failure with drugs

Before taking medicines indicated for heart failure, it is mandatory to undergo a complete medical examination and take tests.

Depending on the course of the disease, the doctor may prescribe the following measures:

1. Listening to the heartbeat.
2. ECG.
3. Listening to the noise in the lungs with a stethoscope.
4. X-ray examination.
5. Angiocardiography.
6. Blood test for hormones.

After receiving the results, an experienced cardiologist will be able to select the necessary drugs.

Heart failure in the elderly is dangerous, the following drugs are used for therapy:

• glycosides;
• cardiotonic preparations without glycosides;
• ACE inhibitors;
• diuretics;
• vasodilators;
• metabolic drugs.

The treatment of heart failure in the elderly must be taken seriously. It is difficult to recover by taking medication in this case. The body at this age does not perceive certain drugs well. You can enhance their effect with the help of diet and proper lifestyle.

Maintenance of angiotensin levels is the cornerstone of the treatment of heart failure. It is not recommended to use such drugs without a doctor's prescription.

Among them are:

• Enalapril (in some cases, it increases the heart cough);
• Lisinopril;
• Ramipril.

Diuretics remove salt from the body of the patient, reduce pressure. Diuretic drugs help relieve swelling of the extremities in patients.

As a rule, inexpensive drugs of this group are prescribed, for example:

• Torasemide;
• Furosemide;
• Hydrochlorothiazide;
• Uregit.

The dosage of the drug is prescribed individually, the elderly in particular should not exceed it.

Regardless of the prescribed drugs, the patient should remember the importance of following the recommendations:

1. Elderly people are advised to sleep half-sitting, for this a dense pillow is suitable. This will help to get rid of the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms (for example, shortness of breath, cough).
2. Food must be complete. You need to limit your salt intake and avoid foods that contain cholesterol.
3. Control body weight.
4. Do not forget about outdoor walks and light physical activity.
5. It is necessary to provide emotional peace.

Heart failure requires attention at any age. Unpleasant manifestations of the disease can significantly impair a person's quality of life. It is important to remember that only a doctor should prescribe drugs for the heart. Treatment with folk remedies can be used after consultation with a specialist. Self-medication in old age is unacceptable.