Abnormal exhaustion, even after resting or climbing just one flight of stairs, could be a sign of impending heart failure, a doctor said, cautioning those with such symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.
While still in the early stages, cardiovascular disease is a manageable condition, Hung Chung-lieh (洪崇烈), a cardiologist at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, said on Friday.
Proper management through clinical treatment and maintaining a healthy lifestyle could alleviate symptoms and reduce the need for hospitalization, Hung said.
However, fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling in the legs, ankles or feet are all potential signs of heart failure and require immediate medical attention, he said.
There are also different types of heart failure that are more common depending on gender and age, Hung said.
Systolic heart failure, in which the heart cannot contract completely on each beat, is usually caused by coronary artery disease, and is more common among men and younger people, he said.
Diastolic heart failure, characterized by the heart’s inability to relax between beats, is more common among post-menopausal women, Hung added.
In general, older people have a higher risk of heart failure, as well as those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, he said.
Those who have had a heart attack or have valvular heart disease are also high-risk, he added.
However, this risk can be managed by keeping cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure under control, Hung said.
If managed properly, people can even exercise and continue leading their lives like normal, he said.
The hospital has also started a telemedicine program to help former inpatients better manage their health, Hung said.
The patients are equipped with a portable electrocardiogram machine, as well as equipment to measure their blood pressure, blood sugar, blood oxygen and weight at home, he said.
Through daily monitoring with automatic transmission to a care provider, problems can be detected early and treatment adjusted accordingly, Hung added.
MacKay Memorial Hospital said that in the past year, more than 100 people have participated in the program.
The age of the average participant is 71.2 years, it said, adding that 46.5 percent are men and 53.5 percent are women.
About 64.4 percent have a history of diabetes, 44.6 percent have high blood pressure and 68.3 percent have coronary artery disease, it added.
Readmission within 30 days of discharge from the hospital is 30 to 40 percent lower among those in the program, it said, adding that participants have also reported a much higher quality of life.
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