Heart Failure Care
Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), occurs when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Different from a heart attack, heart failure is a chronic, long-term condition that prevents the heart from functioning effectively.
Heart Failure Diagnosis
Heart care specialists at North Knoxville Medical Center utilize diagnostic technology to determine the cause and extent of heart failure. To diagnose heart failure, your doctor will consider your medical history, family history, a physical exam and the results of various tests. These tests can include:
- Blood tests - Blood tests are done to look for signs of diseases that can affect the heart.
- Chest X-ray - An image of the heart and lungs to reveal whether the heart is enlarged or if there are signs of lung damage.
- Coronary angiogram - A thin, flexible tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel and guided to the heart arteries. A dye (contrast) is then injected through the catheter to help arteries more clearly show arteries to help spot any blockages.
- CT scan - In a cardiac CT scan, the machine collects X-ray images of the heart muscle and chest.
Electrocardiogram (EKG) - A painless test that records the heart’s electrical activity, including how fast it beats and whether you’ve had previous heart attacks.- Echocardiogram - An ultrasound image of the heart in motion. Shows the various things including the size and structure of the heart and blood flow through it.
- Exercise stress test - You walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bicycle while attached to an ECG machine to help to see how your heart performs when it has to work hard.
- Holter monitor - A measurement of your heart’s electrical activity, taken by a portable device that you wear for a day or two.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) - In a cardiac MRI, radio waves create images of the heart.
- Myocardial biopsy - A small, flexible cord is inserted into a vein in the neck or groin to remove small pieces of the heart muscle for examination.
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Heart Failure Care
A number of conditions can contribute to heart failure. Treatment of these other factors may range from surgery or angioplasty to open clogged blood vessels in patients with coronary artery disease to medications prescribed to control high blood pressure, diabetes, anemia or thyroid disease. In addition, it's particularly important to treat abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias in patients with congestive heart failure.
Doctors and nurses who specialize in heart failure at North Knoxville Medical Center provide a management program that offers:
Medical management - Medications, such as beta blockers or ACE inhibitors, are used to lower blood pressure, eliminate excess water, prevent clotting, slow heart rate or alter hormones that affect the heart. Cardiologists can develop a program that combines medication and lifestyle changes to effectively manage heart failure.- Risk-factor management - Lifestyle changes such as losing weight and eating more healthfully, controlling blood pressure, abstaining from alcohol and smoking, and getting enough rest can help improve heart health and prevent further damage.
- Minimally invasive cardiac catheterization techniques - Outpatient procedures such as angioplasty and stent placement are used to open blocked arteries.
- Small devices - Small devices can be placed in your heart to monitor your heart pressures from home and alert your physician if adjustments to your medications are needed. This has been shown to decrease hospital admissions and ER visits for heart failure patients.
- Procedures - Experienced cardiologists utilize technology to deliver heart failure treatment, including implantable devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators. Surgeons use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible.
Advanced Heart Failure Care
According to the American Heart Association, of the more than 6 million Americans living with heart failure, about 10 percent have advanced heart failure. This means that conventional heart therapies and symptom management strategies are no longer working. Someone with advanced heart failure feels shortness of breath and other symptoms even at rest.
North Knoxville Medical Center offers an advanced heart failure care program to help navigate the best care plans for each patient’s specific situation. As heart disease progresses and the heart becomes weaker, treatment gets more complex, so having a quality care team on your side is extremely important.
Clinical Trials
North Knoxville Medical Center recognizes that clinical research is a critical aspect of developing treatments to improve heart and vascular care.
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