Leg swelling due to heart failure: causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention

Heart failure is dangerous due to its complications, among which edema occupies a special place. They can be of varying severity, and in each specific case appropriate treatment is prescribed, without which the disease progresses very quickly and leads to death.

Edema is a medical term describing the swelling of soft tissues due to the accumulation of fluid in them. Edema may enlarge organs, skin, or other parts of the body. The extra fluid can cause rapid weight gain over a short period of time. Sometimes people can gain several pounds by conserving fluids before swelling becomes apparent.

Most often, edema is determined in chronic heart failure, when the functioning of the organ is gradually disrupted and the fluid accumulating in the vessels of the legs passes into the tissues.

Correctly identifying the cause of edema and undergoing appropriate treatment can significantly improve the patient’s condition. Otherwise, a person can suffer for a long time and quite severely. Against the backdrop of a severe course of the disease, other complications arise due to edema and the patient dies.

Video: Swelling of the legs due to heart disease

https://youtu.be/RXKVX9LpCVY

Features of the development of edema

Due to oxygen starvation, the walls of the veins lose their elasticity. The liquid part of the blood enters the intercellular space. Water and sodium are retained in the body as renal filtration decreases. At this time, the adrenal glands actively produce the hormone aldosterone, which is involved in water-salt metabolism.

The localization of edema depends on whether it develops in the systemic or pulmonary circulation. In the first category of patients, swelling is located on the legs, back, back of the thighs, and lower back. In the advanced stage, subcutaneous swelling of the body appears. In the second category of patients, fluid accumulates in the lungs and pleural cavity. The extreme degree of edema is characterized by cardiac asthma.

There are three stages of development of heart failure (according to the degree of prevalence of edema):

no swelling;
swelling becomes pronounced (a - swelling spreads through one of the blood circulation circles; b - through two);
decompensation.

If blood circulation deteriorates, the patient experiences abdominal swelling, accompanied by an enlarged liver.

Edema resulting from heart failure has specific features:

they are localized in the lower part of the legs, on the ankles, legs, feet;
located symmetrically;
when pressed, depressions form on the skin;
differ in density.

Swelling is more pronounced in the evening, the symptoms disappear the next morning. Swelling takes weeks or even months to develop. The development of the pathological process leads to the fact that the swelling ceases to subside in the morning or after rest. The thighs begin to swell. The patient complains of shortness of breath, liver enlargement, lack of strength and fatigue. Based on where the swelling is located, we can draw a conclusion about the nature of the heart disease.

Associated symptoms

Cardiac edema is always accompanied by additional signs indicating one or another cardiac pathology.

The most common are:

Dyspnea (difficulty breathing). At first, shortness of breath occurs only with increased physical activity, and then at rest.
Pain or feeling of heaviness in the left side of the chest or behind the breastbone. These symptoms are more common with exercise and usually go away with rest. If it hurts even at rest, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Change in skin color. This is manifested by cyanosis (blueness) and redness of certain areas of the skin. Cyanosis is initially visible on the lips and tips of the fingers and toes. In more severe cases, they speak of diffuse cyanosis.
Weakness, rapid sweating with little physical activity. They are characteristic signs of heart failure.
Irrhythmic heartbeat.

Diagnostics

Swelling can be detected by visual examination. At the initial stage of the disease, edema is localized in the ankle area in the form of a small swelling. It can be determined by pressing your fingertips on the outside of the ankle joint. Sometimes the patient himself can detect the presence of swelling from the traces of the elastic of the socks.

If treatment was not started on time, the swelling rises higher, the limbs look swollen, and when pressure is applied to the front surface of the lower leg, pits remain.

In advanced cases of the disease, with severe heart failure, the legs swell above the knees, the skin over the swelling may crack, subsequently forming trophic ulcers.

In addition, you can determine an increase in the size of the abdomen, as fluid begins to accumulate in the abdominal cavity.

Edema of cardiac origin can be distinguished by the following signs:

Symmetry. Both legs always swell - right and left, or the entire face.
The skin over the swelling is cold.
The increase in swelling occurs towards the end of the day - in the evening, in the morning - much less often.
Not accompanied by pain.
Soft.
The hole recovers slowly after pressure.
Combined with other symptoms of damage to the cardiovascular system (CVS), primarily shortness of breath.

In order to identify which disease of the cardiovascular system led to edema, studies are prescribed:

Electrocardiography (ECG).
24-hour Holter monitoring (a portable device records an ECG for 24 hours).
Echocardiography. Cardiac ultrasound is a study that helps identify structural and functional changes in the heart and valve apparatus.
Ultrasound of the abdominal organs and kidneys.
Vascular ultrasound.
Chest X-ray.
Measurement of central venous pressure (CVP).
General clinical tests (complete blood count, general urinalysis, complete biochemical blood test).

Signs and causes of edema in heart disease

Heart failure is a consequence of other cardiac pathologies: arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart defects. Edema can appear for various reasons.

Symptoms of edema in cardiac pathologies:

limbs increase in volume over time;
swelling is symmetrical;
the skin in the affected areas is dense, fingerprints remain when pressed;
patients who lead an active lifestyle note the appearance of edema towards the end of the day;
the swelling site is cold and pale or cyanotic.
with severe swelling, the skin becomes shiny and may crack.

In patients who move little, fluid accumulates in the abdomen, sides, sacrum, and pelvic organs. Swelling is localized there.

Although swelling is the most characteristic sign of heart failure, it is not the only one. If, along with it, the patient experiences shortness of breath and tachycardia, we can conclude that the disease is advanced. It is preceded by a number of clinical manifestations:

Congenital heart defect;
steady increase in pressure;
rheumatism coupled with vices;
IHD;
cardiosclerosis;
heart rhythm disturbance;
cardiopathy;
cardiac pathologies in the form of myocarditis, endocarditis or pericarditis.

Signs of heart failure appear along with anemia, excess weight problems, and liver damage.

Complications

A disturbance in the form of cardiac edema is itself a complication, but it may have its own consequences. Often with this pathology, the patient’s exercise tolerance is significantly reduced; he cannot stand on his feet for a long time or walk even at a slow pace, which greatly affects the rhythm of life.

The greatest problem for patients is trophic ulcers that form with severely advanced edema. It is necessary to treat a trophic ulcer for a long time and is difficult, and therefore it is recommended to prevent its occurrence.

Blood and its influence on the development of edema

Blood is a liquid tissue of the body that contains components and substances necessary to regulate the functioning of the body. Thanks to the blood, waste products are neutralized in the liver and excreted in the kidneys.

The blood contains a number of hormones that affect the development of swelling. They contribute to the narrowing or expansion of the lumen of blood vessels, and also increase or decrease their permeability. Sodium and glucose are involved in the process of fluid retention in the body.

From an anatomical point of view, edema is the concentration of the liquid part of the blood in the intercellular space. Edema occurs due to a disturbance in the concentration of blood components or due to increased pressure in the systemic circulation.

Description of edema

The most common type of edema is peripheral edema, where the feet, ankles, and/or legs become swollen. The causes can be due to several different diseases, some very serious due to systemic disorders. Others are associated with local problems in the legs. Sometimes swelling is caused by several different factors. Since the pathology may be associated with cardiac or vascular diseases, patients with edema are first examined by a cardiologist.

Peripheral edema is usually determined by pressing on a small area in the swollen part of the leg, after which the resulting dimple remains for a while.

Edema of the lower extremities is often associated with veins in the legs that do not drain blood properly, or varicose veins/venous insufficiency.
Swelling in the legs can be caused by inadequate removal of fluid from the tissues of the legs by the lymphatic system (dysfunction of lymphatic drainage).
In rare cases, swelling occurs because a tumor grows in the pelvis or hip area, blocking blood or lymph flow.
Swelling due to leg problems or lymphatic problems tends to develop more if a person stands or sits for long periods of time.
Circumstances such as hot weather, pregnancy or long airplane flights can lead to some swelling, especially in those who are prone to it because they have problems of venous or lymphatic drainage origin.
Mild swelling of the legs is common among pregnant women due to the physiological increase in blood volume and pressure from the growing uterus.
Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is another common cause of peripheral edema that is quite dangerous, especially if it is accompanied by pain, redness and/or local warmth. Blood clots that form in the veins of the lower extremities can be life-threatening if they break and travel through the heart to the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
Arthritis in the knee or ankles, or traumatic injuries to the legs can also cause swelling.
Low levels of protein in the blood, whether from malnutrition, liver dysfunction, or loss of protein in urine due to kidney dysfunction, can lead to edema.
If someone has an overactive thyroid, then another type of swelling known as myxedema may occur. In fact, its development is due to the deposition of connective tissue components under the skin, and not fluid.
Some medications can cause swelling in the legs, such as the hypertension drugs known as calcium channel blockers. They may cause fluid retention due to potential effects on blood pressure, heart and/or kidneys, leading to edema. Diabetes medications can cause edema or heart failure, and steroids often cause edema.
Increasing sodium (salt) intake can promote fluid retention even in healthy people, causing leg swelling, although patients with congestive heart failure or kidney dysfunction are especially at risk.

Despite the numerous causes of edema, most often the accumulation of fluid in the body is observed in heart failure. This disease is quite severe and unfavorable in its development, so timely measures for therapeutic effects must be taken.

The mechanism of the appearance of cardiac edema

The pathogenesis of edema is such that not only the cardiovascular system takes part in its appearance and development.
At the first stage, swelling appears due to poor circulation. Venous blood stagnates. Problems with the kidneys and liver appear. The composition of the blood changes. Edema syndrome is a consequence of a number of changes. The formation of cardiac edema occurs in several stages. The described mechanisms manifest themselves for various reasons, but they always indicate the presence of cardiac pathology.

The heart is a pump that pumps blood. When the pumping function fails, blood stagnates in the vessels that go to the heart. The greatest accumulation occurs in the lower extremities. The walls of blood vessels lose tone and stretch. Liquid enters the intercellular space.
Arterial blood nourishes tissues. In heart failure, its amount is sharply reduced. Oxygen starvation begins.
Fluid stagnates in the body, and urine is produced in smaller quantities. Along with this, there is a narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels, their permeability increases. The veins become overfilled with blood, and reabsorption of primary urine is noted.
In the later stages, there is prolonged stagnation of blood in the veins, as a result of which the liver is affected. In this case, protein synthesis is disrupted, and fluid leaves the vessels unhindered.

The chain of formation of edema syndrome is as follows: cardiac pathology provokes the appearance of heart failure, conditions for blood stagnation appear. The development of the syndrome occurs simultaneously with disruption of the functioning of other organs. The patient has pathological conditions that aggravate the syndrome.

Reasons for the development of the disease

The appearance of this pathology is most often caused by a number of disturbances in the functioning of the heart and problems with blood vessels. It can be provoked by angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, arterial ischemic disease, hypertension, heart disease and other ailments. Factors causing the onset of the disease can be disturbances in the functioning of the heart and its overload. These factors include heavy physical work and excessive activity, such as playing sports.

Read it! Chronic heart failure: symptoms and treatment

The causes of swelling of the legs and heart failure are also poor nutrition, which consists of the abuse of excessively salty, fatty and spicy foods, and the lack of a normal daily routine, when a person devotes little time to rest and sleep. In addition, this pathology in many cases is caused by constant worries and stress, heredity and the presence of bad habits. Sometimes doctors note food or drug poisoning, excess weight and insufficient amounts of vitamins as provocateurs of this disease. The main cause of swelling of the legs in heart failure is stagnation of blood in the systemic or pulmonary circulation. In which circle the pathology is formed depends on the area (left or right) of the heart lesion.

Fact! Just a few decades ago, heart failure and accompanying swelling of the legs were considered exclusively a disease of older people. But today doctors are increasingly recording symptoms of this disease in people under 25-30 years of age.

Swelling of internal organs as a consequence of heart failure

Edema syndrome is characterized not only by subcutaneous accumulation of fluid, but also by “swelling” of internal organs. Swelling localized in the lungs is characteristic of hypertension in the last stage. The patient suffers from a painful cough with pink sputum.

The person also experiences other symptoms:

shortness of breath at rest;
feeling of squeezing in the chest;
the skin and mucous membranes become blue;
suffocation;
bubbling breath.

In later stages, fluid can penetrate into the peritoneum, forming swelling. This symptom is characteristic of severe chronic heart failure.

Liver edema is not observed in heart failure. The venous network of the organ is overfilled with a liquid bloody component, as a result of which hepatomegaly develops - a pathological increase in its size. Patients note heaviness and discomfort in the area of the affected organ. Pain is periodically felt in the right hypochondrium. The liver produces large amounts of bilirubin, which causes the whites of the eyes to turn yellow in some patients.

Prevention

The best prevention of leg swelling is to improve the health of the cardiovascular system.

To do this, it is enough to follow the following measures:

Maintain normal body weight;
Eat properly. Fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, fish, and dairy products are recommended. Eliminate or minimize: fast carbohydrates, smoked and salted foods, marinades and mayonnaise.
Maintain normal water balance;
Walk more, swim;
Regularly undergo preventive examinations.

If you already have a heart or vascular disease leading to edema, then it is important:

During the day, take a lying position with your legs elevated 45 degrees several times. You can do a light massage with stroking movements from the foot to the thighs. These measures will help relieve fatigue from the legs and improve venous outflow from the lower extremities.
Be sure to do physical therapy exercises recommended by a specialist.
The intensity of physical activity and drinking regime must be agreed with your doctor.

The prognosis depends on what kind of disease causes the edema syndrome and how early therapy is started. It is not always possible to completely cure the disease, but timely, competent therapy significantly improves the patient’s quality of life.

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Treatment methods for edema in heart failure

The pathological process can develop rapidly, so special attention should be paid to the treatment of edema. There are drug treatments aimed at removing fluid from the body. Therapy consists of taking diuretics. It is not recommended to treat yourself or change the dosage of the drug. If you contact a specialist in a timely manner, there is a chance to eliminate swelling completely.

Drugs with a pronounced diuretic effect:

Furosemide;
Ethacrynic acid;
Bumetanide;
Piretanide;
Torsemide.

https://youtu.be/Aj930ygYczA

Long-term use of diuretics with water washes away calcium and magnesium. While taking the necessary medications, you should also take supplements to restore balance in the body. Simultaneously with the treatment of edema, therapy for the disease itself is carried out.

At the beginning of treatment, the patient is offered a lower dosage of the drug. Along with drug treatment, he must weigh himself regularly (at least once a day) and have his urine tested. The course of treatment is determined individually.

Diet for heart failure is prescribed as an auxiliary method. A patient suffering from edema should review his diet. Some foods cause fluid to stagnate in the body.

It is necessary to control the daily energy value of the diet. Animal proteins should make up 50% of the proteins. It is necessary to include foods containing vitamins and minerals.
The diet should be based on fractional meals. The number of servings per day is within 5-6. Eating is prohibited 4 hours before going to bed. The essence of this approach is that the body has time to digest food and absorb the necessary components.
Drinking a lot of water provokes an increase in the load on the body, and, as a result, on the heart. The optimal volume of liquid should be 1-1.2 liters. This includes soups, cereals with milk, and broths. If the disease progresses, the patient should reduce the intake.
Eating salty foods increases the load on the heart and accumulates fluid in the tissues. For moderate swelling, the amount of salt should not exceed 6-7 g, for severe swelling - 1.5 g. Fried, smoked, or grilled food is prohibited. In addition, it is not recommended to consume foods rich in fiber.

Products recommended for consumption	Products that aggravate the condition
rabbit, chicken, beef	sausages, sausages, canned meat and fish
low fat dairy products	soda, cocoa, alcohol, coffee, strong tea
vegetable and milk soup	large quantities of butter, butter cream
cereals (excluding legumes)	mushrooms
fruits and vegetables, juices from them (in small quantities)	hot spices
jam, honey, jelly	fried eggs
boiled eggs	fatty fish, caviar
crackers, toast, dry bread	sauerkraut, pickled vegetables
fatty cheeses, cream, sour cream

If chronic heart failure occurs, therapy is carried out with several drugs simultaneously.
In some cases, the patient is prescribed medications to strengthen the walls of blood vessels. The doctor determines the dosage and course of treatment. In large quantities, the drug can cause blood clots. Surgical treatment for edema is not provided. If the patient undergoes surgery, after which the pumping function of the heart is restored, the swelling subsides on its own. For edema localized in the abdominal cavity, a puncture is made and excess fluid is removed.

Treatment

Leg swelling due to heart failure has a complex treatment: diuretics alone will not help.

Medication

To restore lymph outflow and blood movement, use:

an ACE inhibitor such as fosinopril;
angiotensin-2 antagonists - Losartan;
diuretics;
cardiac glycoside Digoxin;
angioprotector ointment Troxevasin.

Folk remedies

You can reduce swelling with decoctions of viburnum, hawthorn, mint, calendula and horsetail juice. A fairly effective method of eliminating blood stagnation is the use of leeches. However, any folk remedy must first be agreed with the attending physician, so as not to aggravate the situation, for example, by allergies.

Baths and foot massage

They are useful only at the beginning of the pathological process.
For baths you can use sea salt, decoctions of herbs or birch leaves.

A collection of chamomile, mint and sage helps well. Take a bath for at least half an hour, and then do a light massage to disperse the lymph.

Diet

If you don’t change your diet, even effective medications will be useless. Therefore, a diet for edema is the basis of therapy, especially if the root cause of heart disease is diabetes or another hormonal disorder. Doctors recommend adhering to the following rules:

The daily diet should be within 2000 kcal, and even less if you are overweight, as well as with mandatory fasting days.
Reduce the amount of fat in dishes, while leaving proteins at normal levels.
Be sure to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits.
The liquid consumed per day should not exceed 1 liter, including first courses and drinks. In severe pathologies complicated by poor urination, this figure should be reduced.
It is advisable to completely avoid salt or minimize its amount.
Completely avoid smoked meats, fatty, fried foods, as well as pickles and canned marinated foods.
Only a fractional diet so that the intestines do not swell and the diaphragm does not rise.

Consequences of edematous syndrome

Edema appears due to disruption of the heart, but in advanced cases it can cause other diseases.

The most dangerous consequences:

fluid accumulates not only in the legs, but throughout the body, affecting the hips, arms, neck, face;
formation of ulcers in areas of swelling;
accumulation of lymph in any anatomical area;
pulmonary edema;
accumulation of fluid in the peritoneum;
the appearance of fluid in the heart sac and pericardium, as a result of which the pumping function is inhibited.

To prevent undesirable consequences, diagnose the disease when the first signs appear. Timely adequate treatment reduces the risk of complications.

https://youtu.be/s3U_6IcONCw

Diet for health

Treatment of leg swelling due to problems complicated by heart disease will be quick and effective if you change your nutritional preferences. To do this, avoid eating dishes with spicy or overly salted foods. It is necessary to remove seasoned products from the diet, including sauce.

Along with treatment, it is worth reducing the consumption of smoked, sweet, and fatty foods. It is necessary to limit the amount of fried meat and fish products.

In addition, you should be careful when consuming all dairy products, as well as baked confectionery products with a high content of creamy substances.

Patients should steam their meals. The pathology can be eliminated with the help of boiled and fresh vegetable products. You should eat foods that contain potassium every day. This substance can be replenished with dried apricots, raisins, nuts, and seeds. “Remove salt from your diet!” - This advice is given by many doctors and nutritionists.

You should drink more carrot and pumpkin juices. You can relieve tumor-like manifestations with the help of tea drinks; lingonberries and fresh viburnum are used in their preparation, and you can also diversify your diet with fresh cucumbers, cabbage salads and apple juices.

Causes and mechanisms of edema formation

In the morning, puffiness and swelling disappear, as the body rests at night, and in the evening it intensifies; the lower limbs are exposed to stress all day, especially if a person leads an active lifestyle. When heart function normalizes, edema may spontaneously disappear.

Increase in the volume of the lower extremities, legs swell;
Pits and depressions appear when pressed;
Cyanosis, dark blue vessels are visible;
The skin on the legs becomes pale and cold to the touch;
Dyspnea;
slight dizziness;
Minor pain in the heart;
General weakness of the body;
Low or high blood pressure.

Circulatory disorders	People with poor circulation constantly have pain and dizziness, high blood pressure, and weakness of the whole body. When treating, the cause of the disease is first sought. You should give up bad habits, lead a healthy lifestyle, eat well, and do physical activity.
Excess weight	A person prone to being overweight and obese has constant problems with his legs, since due to excess weight all the load goes to his legs.
Anemia (anemia)	Anemia in most cases leads to heart failure, and then to cardiac edema. For anemia, it is recommended to drink iron, increase hemoglobin and take medicinal decoctions, infusions and teas.
Bad habits	Alcohol abuse and smoking negatively affect the human heart.

Regular walks in the fresh air;
Work with rest breaks;
Make sure you get adequate sleep and get enough sleep;
Avoid any stress;
In the morning, do light exercises and take a contrast shower;
Reduce fluid and salt intake, but also avoid dehydration;
Do not wear tight shoes, and it is advisable for women to wear shoes without heels.

If a person with chronic heart failure has swelling in the legs, this indicates that somewhere in the body there has been a failure and a deterioration in health is occurring, so urgent measures must be taken to eliminate health problems. Swelling can manifest itself not only externally, but also internally. The kidneys and liver may swell, and fluid may accumulate in the lungs.

Inspection	The doctor performs a visual examination.
Providing first aid	Washing the wound, treating it and dressing it.
Analyzes	A general blood and urine test is prescribed to clarify the full picture of the disease.
Treatment	Based on the results of the examination of the wound and the results of the tests, the specialist prescribes treatment, bed rest, washing the wound with an antiseptic and applying a bandage.

It is not the swelling and swelling of the legs that needs to be treated, but the disease that leads to their appearance.

The attending physician conducts a full comprehensive examination of the heart, and blood tests are also taken from a vein. Cardiac edema must be treated comprehensively, taking medications that contain potassium and magnesium, but you should not self-medicate, this can be dangerous to health and lead to undesirable consequences.

Products you can:

Any meat, only boiled;
Boiled eggs;
Boiled, unsalted vegetables;
A variety of porridges (buckwheat, rice, millet, oat flakes, wheat and corn);
Natural juices and medicinal teas;
Fresh fruits.

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Spicy and salty foods	Seasonings, mayonnaise, ketchup and various sauces
Smoked meats	Sausage, smoked meat, fish
Fried foods	Fried meat, cutlets, chops, fish, potatoes and other vegetables
Confectionery	Cakes, cream pies, chocolate

Folk remedies

At home, at the initial stage of swelling of the lower extremities, baths and light foot massages are done. Herbal collections of chamomile, mint, and string are added to baths with cool water. Then apply a soothing cream. It is also recommended to raise your legs to a vertical position on a cushion and lie there for half an hour. All these procedures are done at night before bedtime.

Preparing a decoction of rose hips	To prepare a rosehip decoction, use 1 liter of water per 100 grams of dried berries. Rose hips are boiled in an enamel pan with a closed lid for 5 - 10 minutes, then left for 3 hours. Drink 1 glass a day for about a month, on an empty stomach, half an hour before meals.
Dandelion root decoction	It is advisable to buy dandelion roots at a pharmacy or collect them in an environmentally friendly area. Grind the root, take 4 teaspoons and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and boil for another 15 minutes, then strain and cool to room temperature. Take 0.25 ml glass 4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
Oat decoction	To prepare a decoction of oats, you only need its grains. Pour 2 cups of oats with 250 grams of cold water. Leave for 12 hours. Then, after they swell, add more water to cover the grains and put on low heat, cook for 1.5 hours under the lid. After cooking, cool, chop and mix with the broth, boil once more until thick. Drink half a glass half an hour before meals.
Viburnum infusion	To prepare viburnum infusion, you need to bring 3 - 4 tablespoons of viburnum berries to a boil and leave for 4 hours, then strain. Drink about seven days 4 times half an hour before meals.

The activity of the nervous system increases. Adrenaline, released into the blood, increases the heart rate and constricts blood vessels.
The release of vasopressin by the hypothalamus is stimulated. Under the influence of antidiuretic hormone, the diameter of the arteries decreases, and the amount of primary urine that is reabsorbed decreases. This contributes to the overflow of blood in the veins and the retention of water in the body.
A decrease in cardiac output is formed. With a lack of oxygen, the sympathetic-adrenal system is activated, which provokes vasoconstriction and an increase in blood pressure.
A decreased oncotic pressure is provoked. The mechanism is activated at the chronic stage of heart failure, when the liver is affected due to prolonged venous stagnation. For this reason, blood proteins are poorly synthesized, which leads to a decrease in oncotic pressure, which is why the fluid quickly leaves the vessels, penetrating under the skin.

When fluid stagnates in the veins, this means that less blood returns to the heart. It does not release enough of this important fluid into the aorta, and the tissues that receive nourishment through the arteries branching from the aorta lack oxygen and nutrients. In response to this, the body activates a defense mechanism:

increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which causes adrenaline to be released into the blood, constricting blood vessels and increasing heart rate;
activates the release of vasopressin by the hypothalamus, which also reduces the diameter of the arteries and reduces the amount of urine excreted;
with narrowed blood vessels and less blood flowing to the kidneys, the body retains even more fluid;
due to insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues, the vessels receive a command to increase the spaces between the cells;
as a result, even more fluid is released into the tissue;
if the situation is not corrected at the previous stage, then the liver also suffers from hypoxia. It produces less proteins, which, among other things, retain fluid in the vessels. And to the hydrostatic edema that was there before, protein-free edema is also added.

The described mechanism begins precisely from the right ventricle only when:

chronic diseases of the respiratory tract leading to respiratory failure: emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pneumosclerosis;
insufficiency (i.e. poor closure) of the tricuspid valve between the right atrium and the ventricle;
insufficiency of the pulmonary valves, where the right ventricle pushes blood;
pericarditis with the appearance of fluid between the heart and the cardiac sac (the right ventricle suffers more, since the left ventricle is stronger and more difficult to compress).

Other causes of cardiac edema are those that first cause left ventricular failure, and then, as a result of increased pressure in the pulmonary circulation, right ventricular failure. This:

cardiosclerosis - the appearance in the heart of scar tissue instead of contracting muscle cells. This usually occurs after a myocardial infarction;
hypertension: the heart can overcome increased pressure in the arteries only by pushing blood into them more strongly, as a result of which the left ventricle first increases its muscle mass, and then, on the contrary, becomes flabby;
cardiomyopathy – a change in the structure of the myocardium that occurs for unknown reasons;
myocardial dystrophy - a group of diseases in which metabolic processes in the heart muscle are disrupted and its function deteriorates;
mitral stenosis and insufficiency, mitral valve prolapse - heart defects in which the valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle is affected;
many congenital heart defects;
long-term arrhythmias;
inflammatory heart diseases: endocarditis, myocarditis;
amyloidosis of the heart.

Most of these diseases lead to cardiac failure in older people, so cardiac edema (edema) is more common in older people. The more severe the failure of the heart muscle, the more common the edema.

Diagnostics

Most cases of visits to a doctor are so typical that they do not pose difficulties in diagnosis. It is more difficult to detect the initial stage of hidden edema. For this it is recommended:

keep records of fluids drunk and excreted;
weigh yourself daily.

A complete examination scheme to identify heart disease that has caused swelling of the legs is used in medical institutions with the aim of diagnosing heart failure as early as possible and prescribing treatment.

When examining a patient, the doctor must carefully ask about:

complaints, their dynamics;
past diseases;
hereditary predisposition.

Auscultation reveals heart murmurs. During palpation, attention is drawn to the properties of edema, a sensitive and enlarged liver.

It is important to measure the circumference of the abdomen, legs, weight in dynamics. The decrease speaks in favor of the effectiveness of treatment. The possibility of relieving swelling with the help of medications indicates a gradual restoration of the compensatory properties of the heart muscle.

Clinic

Failure can be either right or left ventricular. The type of heart failure determines what symptoms a patient will experience. Both types, however, are characterized by the presence of edema.

Along with edema, there are:

difficulty breathing (shortness of breath);
weakness;
arrhythmias;
dizziness;
tachycardia;
fainting;
pallor and cyanosis of the skin;
pain behind the sternum in the heart area;
ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity);
pain in the right hypochondrium;
swelling of the neck veins;
symptom of drumsticks (another name for Hippocratic fingers).

Edema caused by heart failure in patients with a more or less active lifestyle appears on the legs in the late afternoon, but by morning they disappear. This form is easier to treat.

Illustration of heart failure.

In patients with limited physical activity, swelling also appears on the sacrum, sides, and abdomen. Their appearance corresponds to heart failure stage IIa and higher. Heart failure is never a separate, independent disease. It is always a consequence of another cardiac pathology. The reason for the formation of heart muscle failure is a violation of its pumping function.

Characteristic features of cardiac edema, which occur only in cardiac pathology and distinguish them from edema of any other etiology:

the formation of edema is symmetrical;
the increase in edema begins from the distal ends of the lower extremities, rising higher over time;
They appear periodically, and when normal contractile function of the myocardium is restored, the edema goes away on its own. The older the age, the greater the likelihood of developing this pathology.

Compliance with the regime and diet

The first thing a doctor pays attention to in diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract is diet. Correcting your diet will significantly relieve stress on your organs and speed up the absorption of medications. There are several types of diets, differing in the amount of salt and protein intake:

For diseases of an infectious-inflammatory nature, a salt-free diet or diet No. 7 is used. It is aimed at consuming foods with vitamins B, C, P and protein;
For renal failure and immune complications, diet food No. 7A is used. This diet focuses on limiting salt, protein, and fluid intake.

If the patient’s condition worsens and not only the legs, eyelids, but also other parts of the body begin to swell, bed rest is prescribed. In a supine position, it is easier for the kidneys to cope with fluid filtration, and blood movement accelerates, pain goes away. The time the patient spends on bed rest is determined directly by the cause of the swelling.

Renal edema is a sign of excessive accumulation of fluid in the intercellular space when the functioning of the organs of the urinary system is disrupted. Swelling of the tissues in the upper part of the body not only worsens the appearance, but also requires attention from a doctor. When the functioning of the bean-shaped organs is normalized, the swelling gradually disappears.

It is important to know how to distinguish between renal and cardiac edema. Wrong choice of drugs, self-medication, non-compliance with diet provoke increased negative symptoms and impaired water-salt metabolism. What diseases provoke an unpleasant symptom? How to get rid of renal edema? The answers are in the article.

Complications and methods of prevention

If the cause of renal edema is not treated, there is a high probability that the pathogenetic process will become chronic. A progressive disease can lead to complete dysfunction of the paired organ. As a last resort, doctors resort to transplanting the affected kidney.

It is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it. The best way to prevent edema is physical exercise. The best choice in this case would be swimming. Interaction with water helps to improve the blood circulation mechanism and strengthens the vascular system. If you regularly use a contrast shower, you can also prevent the appearance of edema. It is necessary to follow the basic rule of hardening: you should get used to cold water gradually.

https://youtu.be/2pX6xz-0NVQ

Clinical manifestations

Symptoms of cardiac edema are always combined with other manifestations of diseases; they do not arise immediately, but during the development of the decompensatory stage. Unlike renal edema, which forms very quickly, literally in a few hours, cardiac edema has a slow increase. It takes time for the residual blood volume to move into the tissue.

In differential diagnosis, pay attention to the following signs:

Location of swelling - starts from the ankles, spreads up the legs, always symmetrically on both sides. Symmetry is disrupted if the patient lies on his side or with varicose veins. In patients in a sitting position, swelling appears in the evening on the feet and ankles. For those lying in bed - in the sacral area, growing, spreading to the legs, stomach, back, chest.
Sensitivity in the area of edema - the patient does not feel pain when pressing. This is in contrast to swelling of inflammatory origin, when any touch causes or intensifies pain.
Strengthening - an increase in the volume of the foot and lower leg is noticed in the evening by the feeling of tight shoes, imprints of socks, laces. This is facilitated by the action of gravity with limited capabilities in pumping blood. After an overnight stay in a horizontal position, the swelling subsides. In a decompensated state, to reduce swelling, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease. Local lotions and compresses do not work.
The skin temperature over the area of edema is usually colder than over other areas of the body. This occurs due to tissue hypoxia and a sharp loss of energy reserves. With renal edema there is no difference in temperature, but with inflammation the skin feels hot to the touch.
Change in skin color - the color of swollen skin ranges from slight cyanosis to pronounced cyanosis. In people with dark shades of skin, this sign is difficult to notice.
Density - determined by pressing with a finger. The skin feels stretched, and at the point of pressure a dimple forms and lasts for a long time. This emphasizes the density of the fabric.

General therapeutic recommendations

In case of cardiac edema, it is necessary to adjust your lifestyle and diet. The body should not retain fluid. It is important to follow the recommendations of doctors:

Limit your consumption of table salt as much as possible, the daily dose of which is 1-1.5 grams.
Include foods high in potassium in your diet: rice, dried apricots, rose hips, raisins, oatmeal.
Balance the amount of fluid consumed per day (you should drink no more than 0.8-1 liters of water per day, including first courses).
Perform a light self-massage of your feet.
Wear elastic stockings or use a special bandage to help reduce swelling.
Make foot baths based on herbal infusions and cold compresses.

It is important to correctly regulate the mode of work and rest (if a person is lying in bed, then the legs should be placed on a pillow so that they are slightly elevated).

The main rule that promotes effective treatment is strict adherence to the treatment regimen for heart failure prescribed by the doctor.

What heart diseases cause leg swelling?

The task of the human heart is to act as a pump for normal blood circulation. If the heart cannot cope with its functions, then heart failure may develop.

Blood stagnation, which occurs when blood flow is impaired, is the main cause of edema: when venous pressure increases, blood penetrates into the intercellular space, expanding the volume of tissue.

Treatment of leg swelling due to heart failure is based on removing excess fluid from the body, normalizing blood composition and supporting heart function.

The mechanisms of pathology determine the course of therapy for edema. The primary task is to establish the cardiac causes of the disease.

Cardiac edema occurs primarily due to disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. The pathological process also affects the function of the kidneys, liver and blood chemistry.

From a physiological point of view, the development of heart failure occurs when there are disturbances in the functioning of any part of the heart, which provoke an inability to pump the required volume of blood.

This causes its accumulation in large veins and arteries. Due to prolonged stagnation, liver damage begins. This causes disturbances in protein synthesis, which contributes to a decrease in oncotic pressure and disruption of the outflow of fluid from the vessels.

The pathogenesis of edema is also associated with a decrease in cardiac output. This causes a lack of oxygen supply to tissues and organs. To maintain normal pressure, blood vessels constrict. At the same time, the kidneys excrete less fluid, and their ability to filter water also decreases. This condition provokes fluid stagnation in the body.

The main causes of heart failure include:

cardiosclerosis;
congenital heart defects;
arrhythmia;
rheumatism of the heart;
constructive pericarditis;
amyloidosis;
cardiomyopathy.

The symptoms of cardiac edema differ in some features:

symmetry of swelling on both legs;
duration of development of edema;
the spread of swelling over the entire surface of the body;
increase in liver size (hepatic edema);
compacted structure on the affected areas of the skin.

Swelling of the legs in heart failure usually appears in the first half of the day, and does not disappear when the lower extremities are raised up. The problem causes a lot of inconvenience to a person and significantly spoils the appearance. Main sites of occurrence: foot, ankle, hips, lower leg.

For the disease, various treatment methods are used: medication, surgery and treatment with folk remedies. You can relieve swelling at home. To do this, you should follow some recommendations:

take a horizontal body position during the day, raise your legs (put pillows or a blanket under your knees);
limit physical activity during the day;
limit the amount of fluid consumed (no more than 1 liter per day): water increases blood volume;
limit salt intake (no more than ½ teaspoon per day): salt promotes water retention in blood vessels;
do not wear tight shoes and socks;
Avoid hot foot baths: hot water dilates veins and causes blood stagnation;
You can relieve swelling of the legs with the help of massage: active circular movements from the toes to the groin area, with pressure on the foot, heel and arch;
maintaining a diet, losing excess weight;
the use of compresses, mechanical and reflex effects;
folk remedies for swelling of the legs.

In severe conditions, when the legs are very swollen, medications with a diuretic effect are prescribed.

Treatment of leg swelling due to heart failure involves a specific nutrition plan. The following foods should not be present in the diet:

smoked, spicy and salty dishes;
fried meat and fish dishes;
fatty foods (sour cream, cottage cheese, high-fat milk);
sweet confectionery;
mayonnaise, sauces and various seasonings.

All dishes for people with swelling of the legs due to heart failure are steamed. It is recommended to add the following products to your daily diet:

pumpkin (freshly squeezed juice, boiled vegetables);
juice and fresh carrot dishes;
fresh cucumbers and cabbage;
apples;
buckwheat grain;
medicinal teas with viburnum berries and lingonberries.

Such products help eliminate excess fluid from the body. At the same time, to maintain the balance of potassium and magnesium, which are also intensively excreted from the body, it is recommended to consume the following foods:

nuts and dried fruits (dried apricots, raisins);
baked potato.

Traditional medicine methods in the treatment of edema in heart failure

Folk remedies help only at the early stage of the disease. Various compresses, healing baths, herbal infusions and decoctions for internal use are used. External agents reduce the permeability of vascular walls, tone veins and arteries. Products for internal use help remove excess fluid (diuretic effect) and normalize blood circulation.

Contrasting foot baths.
Herbs such as chamomile, mint, sage, pine and spruce needles are used. To prepare the medicinal composition, hot water is collected in one bucket and cold water in the other. A decoction of medicinal herbs is added to hot water. It is necessary to keep your feet alternately in two containers. Keep your feet in a bucket of hot water for about 10 minutes, after which they are dipped in cold liquid (no more than 30 seconds). Regular procedure is recommended.
Massage.
You can remove swelling with self-massage. For this purpose 25 ml. rosemary mixed with 150 ml. olive oil. The mixture is applied to the feet and massaging movements are performed. This procedure improves blood circulation and activates microcirculation of fluid.
Cold compresses.
Slices of raw potatoes and fresh cabbage leaves are used. The products are placed in the freezer for 30 minutes, after which they are placed on their feet. The composition is fixed on top with a loose bandage. Cold compresses are best used after a warm bath before bed. You can also use gauze bandages soaked in a vinegar solution (add 2 tablespoons of vinegar per 200 ml of water). Regular use of compresses relieves pain and promotes fluid removal.
Infusion and decoctions for internal use. Swelling can be treated with chestnut tincture (100 grams of dry leaves infused in 500 ml of vodka), decoctions based on cherries, stems and leaves of parsley, butcher's broom, and birch buds. Remedies are taken 1 tsp. half an hour before meals 3-4 times a day.
Healing ointments.
Crushed leaves and stems of butcher's broom are mixed in equal proportions with lard and boiled for one hour in a water bath. The ointment is applied to the feet twice a day.
Physalis vegetable. Both fresh fruits of the plant (about 15 pieces per day) and a tincture of dried physalis leaves are consumed.

Severe edema in heart failure is treated in conjunction with medications.

How to relieve swelling with conservative means? Medicines are prescribed to decompensate heart failure, normalize fluid volume in the body, and stabilize blood circulation. Swelling can be removed only if the causes of the disease are excluded.

Heart failure is treated with the following groups of drugs:

angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors: reduce blood pressure, normalize blood composition, kidney and liver function (fosinopril, lisinopril, enalapril and other drugs);
cardiac glycosides: promote increased heart contractions, have an antiarrhythmic effect (digoxin);
diuretics: drugs with a diuretic effect (ethacrynic acid, bumetadide, spironolactone).

In some cases, angioprotectors are additionally prescribed. This group of drugs affects the vascular walls, strengthening them, and also normalizes the chemical composition of the blood.

What to do if the disease progresses very quickly? Severe swelling in the legs due to heart failure is treated surgically. The method of surgical intervention depends on the severity of the patient’s condition, the causes of edema, and concomitant diseases.

Coronary artery bypass surgery is performed in case of circulatory problems. Heart valve replacement is required for congenital valve defects. The installation of pacemakers is carried out in case of arrhythmia or impulse transmission disorders. Surgical operations are aimed at normalizing the pumping function of the heart.

Cardiac edema is a serious and life-threatening condition that requires immediate treatment. If all recommendations are followed and medications are taken, the patient’s complete recovery is possible.

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Swelling of the legs due to heart failure, the treatment of which must be comprehensive, often appears in older people, but can also occur in young people. This pathological phenomenon is not usually identified as a separate disease, because it is just the result of various pathological processes in the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Edema due to heart failure can appear both in the legs and in other parts of the body. But on the legs they are most pronounced.

Pulmonary edema is often observed in heart failure if the disease has progressed too far.

Before considering how this disease is treated, you should familiarize yourself with what symptoms indicate the presence of heart failure, which provokes the appearance of edema:

The main symptom is recurrent attacks of heart failure. In the acute course of the disease, an attack can last only a few seconds or minutes. But in the chronic form, such attacks become longer and more frequent.
Heart failure can be left or right ventricular. But swelling of the legs will happen in any case. 2 legs will swell at once, since the load on them will remain approximately the same. At the same time, you will feel weakness and heaviness, especially in the hot season.
Along with swelling of the legs, noticeable pallor of the skin is observed. The patient is often in a semi-fainting state due to the fact that the heart cannot transport a sufficient amount of blood, and with it oxygen, to the organs.
In addition to swelling of the legs, there may also be noticeable swelling of the veins in the neck. Over time, fluid begins to accumulate in the abdomen, since the kidneys are not able to remove it normally from the body. Doctors also often observe liver enlargement in patients with this pathology.
In particularly severe cases, pulmonary edema may develop. This is extremely dangerous, since in this case a person’s breathing is partially blocked and he practically cannot inhale air. And if help is not provided in time, everything can end in death.

Specifics of treatment

Traditional methods

If peripheral edema occurs, you should consult a doctor. The doctor will conduct an examination, including the cardiovascular system:

blood pressure measurement;
auscultation of the heart - muffled tones and gallop rhythm may be observed;
percussion of the heart - the expansion of the boundaries of cardiac dullness is determined;
Auscultation of the lungs - crepitus or moist rales are heard with increased pressure in the pulmonary circulation.

To determine the primary disease, an additional examination is prescribed, which is aimed at assessing the function of the heart, kidneys and liver.

Traditional methods are very common among patients with heart failure. Many simply do not want to spend money on purchasing rather expensive medications and contact specialists. But it is worth noting that not all cardiologists recognize traditional medicine as truly effective and efficient in the fight against disorders of the cardiovascular system.

One of the most effective folk remedies is natural green tea. Its regular use can remove toxins and antioxidants from the body and rid it of excess fluid.

Fresh cranberry juice has an excellent diuretic and diuretic effect. It must be consumed regularly. But do not forget to control the amount of liquid consumed daily. Excessive use can increase the size of swelling of the limbs.

Apple cider vinegar is an effective remedy in the fight against edema. It must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2 and consumed one spoon per day. But excessive consumption or the wrong ratio of these two components can lead to serious consequences. Vinegar in its pure form can cause burns to the larynx and esophagus. Therefore, when using this product you must be very careful and observe all proportions.

Nettle infusion will help eliminate swelling of the limbs and improve heart function. The method of preparing it is very similar to the method of preparing regular tea. Pre-dried nettles are soaked in hot water. This infusion can be consumed several times a day.

Infusions of birch buds, cherries, dill and parsley also help in treating this problem. Dill is also an excellent natural diuretic. It is recommended to consume it as usual or use it in cooking.

Relieve swelling of the limbs and medicinal baths. Baths can be made using both pharmaceutical and natural products. The latter include mint, spruce needles, chamomile, etc. You should avoid products with a warming effect. It is worth immersing not only the feet, but also the lower legs in the medicinal solution. The optimal temperature of such baths should exceed the optimal temperature of the human body. The duration of the procedure should be at least ten minutes.

Compresses are no less effective. They help reduce pain and reduce the size of swelling in the legs. A common means of applying compresses is raw potatoes, grated on a fine grater. Apply the prepared mixture to the problem area, cover it with a bag or bandage and insulate it.

In order for a doctor to tell you how to relieve cardiac edema, he needs to determine:

that excess fluid in the tissues definitely accumulates due to cardiac failure;
what kind of heart disease is causing the failure?

Diagnosis begins with examination, listening to heart sounds and congestive wheezing, characteristic only of cardiac pathology, in the lower parts of the lungs. Next, the doctor will need to see the ECG and ultrasound data of the patient’s heart. You may also need scintigraphy, MRI of the heart, coronary angiography (contrast study of the vessels feeding the heart), as well as Holter (24-hour) pressure monitoring and/or ECG.

Also, to treat cardiac edema, the doctor needs to find out how severe it is: is it just swelling of the extremities, or is there leakage of fluid into the pleural, abdominal cavity, or pericardium. For diagnosis, an abdominal ultrasound and chest x-ray are performed.

It is quite easy to notice leg swelling due to heart failure. Treatment, however, directly depends on the correct and timely diagnosis of the primary disease. For this purpose, various procedures are carried out.

The initial examination includes a visual examination, percussion, blood pressure measurement, medical history, and auscultation.
Standard tests are also required, in particular laboratory testing of blood and urine.
Ultrasound is considered informative, especially when it comes to the presence of complications.
Electrocardiography and echocardiography are required - these studies provide the doctor with information about disturbances in the structure and function of the heart.
Additionally, patients are prescribed a procedure to measure central venous pressure.
If there are complications or it is impossible to determine the root cause of heart failure, additional studies are performed, including radiography, computed tomography, etc.

Additional Differences

In differential diagnosis, a number of distinctive features should be taken into account.

Swelling on the face and neck is characteristic of impaired outflow in the superior vena cava with adhesive pericarditis, pulmonary emphysema, and compression of the vascular bundle by a growing tumor.

The appearance of redness and pronounced swelling on the leg indicates erysipelas.

Patients with myxedema have a characteristic appearance: pale, swollen face, dry skin, narrowed eye slits, hair loss. These are endocrine edema caused by a failure of neuroendocrine regulation.

In old age, in obese people, swelling of the legs develops without heart failure, especially in hot weather with prolonged immobility (standing, sitting).

Other symptoms that appeared earlier help confirm the cardiac origin:

patient complaints of weakness, dizziness;
cyanosis of lips, nose, ears, fingertips;
heartache;
heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
feeling of rapid heartbeat and arrhythmia.

Video

We offer you to watch a video on the topic of the article.

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Education: Rostov State Medical University, specialty “General Medicine”.

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Often in the evening, swelling and sometimes pronounced edema are detected in the arms and legs, resulting from disturbances in the contractility of the heart or the functioning of the entire cardiovascular system. No less often, edema forms as a result of changes in blood circulation inside the vessels due to sudden fluctuations in pressure, disturbances in venous tone and the rheological properties of blood. It is extremely important to distinguish such edema from renal edema (although they may be similar in appearance), since the mechanisms of their formation are different, which means they need to be treated in different ways.

Secrets of traditional medicine

Swelling of the legs due to heart failure, and treatment of its symptoms can occur using traditional methods. Various DIY infusions help remove stagnant fluid very well; they are not harmful to the body, have no side effects, or contraindications.

Mint infusion - this remedy is prepared at home with your own hands. To do this, you need to take about 30g of mint leaves (or 2 tablespoons), pour in a liter of boiling water, and then infuse the resulting solution for one hour. After cooling the infusion, it is taken three times a day. For this recipe, you can use fresh mint leaves, or a dry plant, prepared for future use, is also suitable;
Flaxseed decoction - for this, pour a tablespoon of flaxseed into one liter of water, then boil the seeds for 15 minutes over low heat, let the solution stand, strain, take half a glass for two weeks, if necessary, repeat the course after a short break;
Combined infusion - to prepare a dry collection, take 2 tablespoons of black elderberry flowers, calamus root, peppermint, a tablespoon of forest nettle, 3 tablespoons of linden blossom. Then 30 grams of the resulting mixture is poured with one liter of water, brought to a boil and left to infuse under the lid for one hour. The prepared infusion is taken half a glass 3 times a day.

In addition, a compress made from a mixture of equal amounts of camphor and olive oil helps relieve swelling in the legs. Lubricate your feet generously with the resulting solution, wrap them in polyethylene, then with a warm woolen cloth, and leave the compress overnight. Carry out this procedure every day for a month.

Using foot baths gives good results. They should be done in the evening before bed with the addition of various herbs: chamomile, birch leaves, juniper berries, dry mustard seeds. An effective remedy in folk medicine is adding sea salt to foot baths.

How to get rid of swelling for a long time?

You cannot start taking any medications on your own, change the dosage prescribed by your doctor, or refuse the medication. Therapy involves not only combating the symptoms of heart failure, but also supporting the activity of the main organ. If treatment is not provided, the patient's life expectancy will be greatly reduced.

In addition to drug therapy, which the patient will follow for the rest of his life, he will need to periodically undergo treatment in specialized sanatoriums. Patients are usually prescribed the following medications:

Diuretics: Hypothiazide, Furosemide. They allow you to quickly remove excess fluid from the body and reduce the severity of edema.
Cardiac glycosides: Digoxin. These drugs have a positive effect on the myocardium, as well as the work of the heart in general: the contraction frequency decreases and the rest period becomes longer.
Sartans: “Valsakor”, “Mikardis”. They are used to lower blood pressure. This helps reduce the release of fluid into the tissue and prevent swelling.
Potassium preparations: Panangin, Aspartame. Thanks to them, cardiac regulation of blood flow is ensured. This element contributes to the normal transmission of excitation signals from the nervous system to muscle tissue.
Beta blockers: Nebilet, Corvitol. They are necessary to improve blood supply to vital organs.
Angioprotectors: Diosmin, Escusan. These drugs are used to strengthen vascular walls. Somehow influence the development of heart failure. They are needed to stabilize the cellular composition of the blood. These drugs also help reduce the severity of swelling.

Drug therapy is prescribed strictly by a doctor. Medicines are prescribed taking into account the degree of development of the pathology, the presence of concomitant diseases, and the general condition of the patient. Attention is also drawn to the possibility of combining several drugs.

If conservative therapy is ineffective, in extremely difficult cases of pathology development, the patient may be prescribed surgical intervention. It cannot always completely eliminate heart failure, and is rather used to maintain the functionality of the cardiovascular system.

There are several types of operations used: valve replacement, installation of cardiac pacemakers, coronary artery bypass grafting.

Sometimes, to maintain the general condition of the heart, doctors allow the use of folk remedies. The following recipes are considered the most popular:

Lovage decoction. You need to pour 40 g of crushed dry raw materials with a liter of boiled water, place in a water bath and simmer for about 10 minutes. After 25 minutes of infusion, the medicine is filtered and taken 4 times a day, 50 g each. The decoction reduces the amount of fluid in the tissues and reduces the intensity of swelling.
Pharmacy infusion of calendula. A single dose is 20-30 drops, depending on the degree of complexity of the pathology. You need to take the product three times a day. It helps to quickly eliminate edema and improve heart function.
Horsetail decoction. You will need 2 tablespoons of raw material, which is steamed with a glass of boiling water. It will take 20 minutes to infuse. Next, the broth is filtered and consumed 65 ml 4 times a day. It supports myocardial functionality in heart failure.
Elderberry root infusion. You need to finely chop 150 g of raw material and pour 350 ml of vodka into it. The product must be infused for 10 days. The infusion should be strained and drunk 10-20 drops before meals.

Folk remedies are not a panacea that can save a person from heart failure. However, prescriptions approved by a doctor can improve the functionality of the organ.

Correct therapy and timely diagnosis of pathology can improve the patient’s quality of life and increase its duration.

How to treat?

First of all, it is necessary to treat not the swelling itself, but its root cause. In the early stages, they can be combated with massage, extra rest and cold compresses. In addition, you can try to cope with them at home:

use herbal baths;
take a lying position, raising your legs higher than your body;
use reflex and mechanical influences.

You can also consult your doctor about drug treatment in the form of diuretics. They help remove excess fluid from the body. It is also possible to use some traditional medicine, but they should be discussed with your doctor in order to avoid dehydration in the body, which can be caused by incorrect dosage of herbal remedies.

Remember that some representatives of conservative medicine cannot be combined with folk remedies.

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