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LEFT Ventricular Heart Failure
I have EF of 35%. NO: hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, drug use, kidney problems, family history of heart problems, obesity, aneurysms, valve leakage, or plaque in arteries. I did drink beer, 2 a day on average, but gave it up when diagnosed with heart failure over a month ago. Been on a low sodium diet for five years to assist my husband's dietary needs. I am active and love to walk, garden and bicycle. Why is my heart failing and what is the treatment in my case?
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Sorry to see this. It is impossible to answer your question without more information, and I wouldn't know what to do with any information that your doctor hasn't already told you about. For example, often it's due to mitral valve prolapse or aortic valve narrowing and your heart wall thickens trying to pump ever harder to keep you oxygenated.
I'm not suggesting that this is the case for you, but here is one common progenitor:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/left-ventricular-hypertrophy/symptoms-causes/syc-20374314#:~:text=Things%20that%20can%20cause%20the%20heart%20to%20work,endurance%20training%20causes%20changes%20in%20the%20heart.%20
@dizzyprizzy
I have heart failure only in left ventricle like you. My right side is normal. Is your right side a normal level?
When taking a stress test they found an LBB so they did a catherization. The found no signs of cardiovascular disease. I was asked if had a bad flu or virus before being diagnosed with LBB Yes, I did just prior to the LBB being found I was skiing in Austria and came down with a tremedous virus. They then said I had cardiomyopahty caused by a virsus or infection that causes scar tissue ( the cause of the LBB) in your heart.
Over time this can start problems in which my heart got bigger to compensate and when it does heart failure. As soon as I got on medication and got a AICD/Pacemaker the decreasing EF stopped. It had been around 25 for last 10 years. My heart failure doctor says the important thing for me is how I feel not numbers.
Not saying what caused yours. What test have you had? Is your right side normal? What medications are you on? Do you have a EP (Electrophysiologist)? Do you have a heart failure doctor?
Entresto is a great medication for heart failure. What are you taking? There are many reasons your heart can be failing including genetic and heridetary. What you need to focus on is preventing it from getting worse. Talk to your doctors about exercise, medications, and reduction of stress.
Keep doing the things you love to do and get your doctors to tell you the excercise levels you can do. I do Sprint Triathlons but do them at moderate level. Exercise is one of the best ways to keep your heart strong. I was told by my first cardiologist saying 20 years ago we would have prescribed bed rest now say exercise. But this needs to come from your doctors as this what was good for me.
Stay positive the treatment for heart failure has made great progress over the last 5 years. It does not mean your heart has failed it means it is not pumping the amount of blood that is considered normal. You may have no symptoms or you can have minor or major ones. I think they should change the name from heart failure to reduction of heart function . Then use heart failure when your heart fails not just that you have a reduced EF.