Online Reporter
Dr Tendai Zuze
Health Matters
HEART failure does not mean the heart has stopped working, but rather that it has become weak and cannot pump blood properly around the body.
This makes it difficult for the body to get enough oxygen and nutrients, leading to tiredness, swelling and shortness of breath.
In Zimbabwe, some of the most common causes include uncontrolled high blood pressure, which is very widespread and often not treated correctly, rheumatic heart disease from untreated throat infections in childhood that damage the heart valves, damage after heart attacks, HIV-related heart problems, heavy alcohol use and poorly controlled diabetes.
Most of these causes can be prevented or reduced.
Checking blood pressure regularly, and taking prescribed medicine faithfully is important, as is eating healthy with less salt and oily food, and including more vegetables.
Regular exercise such as walking or gardening helps to keep the heart strong. Treating sore throats appropriately in children can prevent valve damage later in life.
Reducing alcohol intake and following HIV and diabetes treatments also lowers the risk.
The main symptoms to watch for are swelling of the feet (which is usually better in the mornings), legs or stomach, shortness of breath (especially when walking or lying flat), constant tiredness, a persistent cough at night and a fast or irregular heartbeat.
These problems often come on slowly, which is why they are sometimes ignored until they become serious.
Although heart failure cannot usually be cured, it can be controlled with the right treatment.
Doctors often prescribe medicines such as diuretics, also known as “water tablets,” to remove excess fluid, along with drugs to lower blood pressure and help the heart pump better.
Lifestyle changes are just as important — eating less salt, avoiding alcohol and smoking, controlling weight and keeping regular medical check-ups.
One important point that many people do not realise is that drinking too much water can actually make heart failure worse.
In a weak heart, excess water cannot be pumped out efficiently and instead collects in the lungs, legs and stomach, leading to more swelling and breathlessness.
For this reason, patients with heart failure are usually advised to limit how much fluid they drink in a day and to avoid adding extra salt, which makes the body hold on to water.
Heart failure is a serious condition, but with proper care people can still live long and productive lives.
Prevention remains the best strategy. By keeping blood pressure under control, treating infections early, reducing alcohol intake and making healthy lifestyle choices, Zimbabweans can greatly reduce the risk of this common but often silent disease.
For more on heart failure contact [email protected]
