Heart failure, even in the name alone, is scary. That your heart can fail, or give out, is something to be taken very seriously. Everyone’s heart will weaken a bit as they age, but lifestyle factors are indicative of how severe and quickly this weakening can manifest.

Heart failure is usually associated with other conditions of the heart such as the following:

• Previous heart attack: If you have already had a heart attack, then your heart is compromised and is susceptible to heart failure. The attack damaged part of your heart and weakened it so that it does not function as well as it did prior to your heart attack.

• High blood pressure: When the pressure on your blood vessels is high, this makes it extra hard for your heart to pump the blood through the body. Over time, this will weaken the heart chambers which are being enlarged due to the pressure.

• Atherosclerosis: the build-up of plaque in the blood vessels and arteries of your circulatory system make it difficult for the heart to get oxygen and nutrients out to the body through blood flow. This extra stress can lead to heart failure.

• Abnormal Heart Valves: When the valves to the heart do not open and close properly, it is difficult for the heart to move blood through the body. Some individuals are born with this, some acquire it from an infection or a disease.

• Diseases or Damage to the Heart: Damage to the heart due to a virus or lifestyle habits such as alcohol or drugs can lead to heart failure.

• Obesity: The extra weight that the body carries can put stress on the heart. It needs to work that much harder to get oxygenated blood to the entire body. Those who are obese are prone to sleep apnea, which is another contributor to heart failure. Sleep apnea results in less oxygen reaching the lungs and the heart due to lapses in breathing.

• Diabetes: Those folks with diabetes are at an increased risk of heart failure since their condition also puts them at risk of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.

Some of the conditions mentioned here are avoidable based on lifestyle habits such as exercising, eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and working on maintaining low stress levels in your life. Some individuals need help through the use of medications and monitoring.

If you feel that you are at risk of heart failure, it is important that you are under a physician’s care. Call Tampa Cardiovascular Associates today at 813-975-2800 or schedule an appointment online at TampaCardio.com.