Heart failure is an often neglected disease, but the condition can rapidly deteriorate and has a high death rate, cardiologists said.
A 72-year-old woman, surnamed Su (蘇), went into shock during a physical therapy session for a herniated disc four years ago. She was about to be declared dead, but 30 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation saved her life.
Cheng Hsin General Hospital cardiologist Huang Jian-long (黃建龍) said Su was diagnosed with acute myocarditis and severe heart failure and has been receiving treatment since.
Early symptoms of heart failure are often neglected, such as feelings of exhaustion, panting and sudden chest tightness during the night with a need for fresh air, Huang said, adding that people having heart failure should get medical treatment and go for follow-up examinations.
According to government data, heart disease ranked No. 1 in the top 10 causes of death last year, and the average length of hospitalization for heart failure patients was the longest among all types of heart diseases last year.
Taiwan Heart Foundation chief executive officer and Taiwan Society of Cardiology director Lin Jiunn-lee (林俊立) said heart failure occurs when the heart muscle is weakened or damaged, making it unable to pump enough blood and oxygen throughout the body. A patient might feel out of breath or exhausted just from walking, and the condition can rapidly deteriorate and cause death.
Heart failure risk factors include hypertension, high cholesterol, high blood-sugar levels, obesity, a history of heart disease, and aging, he said, adding that many middle-aged people neglect symptoms of heart failure as exhaustion.
Taiwan Society of Cardiology deputy secretary-general Yang Ning-i (楊甯貽) said the average length of stay in hospital for a patient with heart failure is eight days, and the death rate is higher than several common types of cancer — nearly 50 percent in the past five years.
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