Heart Failure Specialist

Healing Hearts Clinic

Cardiologists located in Conroe, The Woodlands & Huntsville, TX

Heart failure, or congestive heart failure, is a serious disease that results from your heart not pumping blood efficiently. Heart failure can have serious or even fatal consequences, but it doesn’t have to get that far if you get the treatment you need. Count on the highly experienced cardiology care team at Healing Hearts Clinic in Conroe, The Woodlands, and Huntsville, Texas, to guide you through all aspects of healthy heart care. Book an appointment using the online tool or by phone today.

Heart Failure Q & A

What is heart failure?

Heart failure means that you have a damaged heart muscle. This damage can happen in several ways, but some of the most common causes are heart attack, uncontrolled hypertension, and heart diseases like cardiomyopathy.

Chronic illnesses including diabetes and HIV may also be connected to heart failure. Once your heart muscle sustains damage, it's unable to work as it should, and it can't heal on its own. At this point, you may start experiencing heart failure symptoms.

What are the symptoms of heart failure?

Some symptoms to watch for include:

Breathlessness
Exhaustion
Edema, especially in the legs and feet
Sudden unexplained weight gain due to fluid accumulation within your body

Dizzy spells
Erratic or fast heartbeat
Deep cough, sometimes producing white or bloody mucus
More frequent urination, especially overnight
Difficulty concentrating

You should take all of these signs seriously and see your Healing Hearts Clinic cardiologist as soon as possible.

If you experience chest pain, major breathing problems, or fainting, especially in combination with an erratic or racing heartbeat, it's an emergency, and you need help immediately.

How is heart failure diagnosed?

Usually, diagnosis includes one of the following tests.

Echocardiogram: ultrasound heart scan
Electrocardiogram: measuring your heart's electrical activity
Coronary angiogram: catheterization to check your heart circulation
Adenosine stress test: checks blood flow to your heart
Nuclear stress test: heart imaging using radioactive dye

Your Healing Hearts Clinic cardiologist may also use a chest X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or other tests and procedures to make a heart failure diagnosis.

How is heart failure treated?

Your treatment depends on your specific symptoms and how severe your heart failure is. American Heart Association guidelines classify heart failure in stages using the letters A-D, with A representing early heart failure and D advanced heart failure.

Most heart failure patients need medication such as ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, diuretics, or digoxin. In the case of heart failure with a clear cause, your cardiologist may recommend a procedure like coronary bypass, heart valve repair/replacement, a ventricular assist device, a pacemaker, or implanted defibrillator.

If chest pain is one of your heart failure symptoms, your cardiologist may prescribe enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP), a noninvasive treatment that may reduce angina frequency.

If you’re worried about heart failure, use online booking or call Healing Hearts Clinic today to make an appointment.

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