Heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart does not pump as much blood as it should. Beware of a symptom that occurs in sleep.
L’heart failure it is a serious condition that can manifest itself through various symptoms. It is a disorder of the narrowed arteries from coronary artery disease or high blood pressure, which can weaken the heart over time. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in people over the age of 65 and can be a fatal disease if left untreated.
Heart failure: the telltale symptom to watch out for
Despite being relatively common, many people are unaware of symptoms of heart failure. A surprising symptom, caused by fluid accumulating in the lungs, occurs when a person with this condition lies on their back.
If this symptom occurs, experts suggest screening for heart failure and heart disease. If the shortness of breath while lying down on the back, heart health should be checked in a timely manner.
Those suffering from heart failure often report a symptom known as orthopnea, characterized by shortness of breath while lying down. Some people also experience the shortness of breath during physical activity as a result of heart failure.
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Orthopnea: all causes and when to worry
The reason that orthopnea occurs when lying down is that the blood, which normally accumulates in the veins, re-enters the bloodstream. If you have heart failure, your heart may not be able to keep up with the increase in the amount of blood returning to it, so fluid builds up inside your lungs and causes shortness of breath, he explains. Michigan University.
This can have serious implications. A 2002 study onEuropean Heart Journal Supplements found that around 90% of heart failure patients have a huge chance of dying from cardiovascular causes. “50% die from progressive heart failure and the rest die suddenly from arrhythmias and ischemic events”the study authors wrote.
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If heart failure is suspected, it is important to take proactive steps to improve heart health immediately. Michigan experts note that for most patients with orthopnea, the severity of the problem varies depending on the sleeping position.
Discomfort and shortness of breath typically increase as you lay more flat on the bed. Therefore, patients suffering from orthopnea often sleep “sloping”, making use of one, two or three pillows. This allows them to catch their breath, even while lying down. However, the greater the intolerance to the slope of the pillows, the worse the condition of the heart potentially prone to heart failure.