In our time, we increasingly meet people who complain of heart failure. The cause of the disease can be different: lung disease, myocardial infarction, poor circulation, etc. But whatever the cause, all people face the same problem - the treatment of shortness of breath in heart failure. Treatments for shortness of breath can vary, and in this article, we will tell you about the possible remedies to help manage this problem.
Danger level
A disease such as heart failure is characterized by a decrease in the ability of the heart to pump blood in the right amount. The symptoms of the disease are acceptedcount:
- increased blood pressure;
- dyspnea;
- fainting;
- dizziness;
- breathing and lung problems.
Shortness of breath as one of the most obvious signs of heart failure can not only indicate the presence of a problem in the work of the heart, but also help determine the stage and degree of the disease by some signs.
Determine the condition by shortness of breath
First of all, you need to understand that shortness of breath occurs after a person began to physically stress the body. Depending on how strong the load is and how soon shortness of breath appeared, conclusions can be drawn about the stage of the disease. There are 4 stages (classes) of heart failure:
- The first stage. Shortness of breath appears only when the body is subjected to physical activity for a long time or not for long, but the load is significant.
- Second stage. The physical load on the body is moderate, but shortness of breath still begins.
- Third stage. Even small loads lead to shortness of breath.
- The fourth stage. Without any exertion, even in a calm state, a person suffers from shortness of breath.
Of course, before you run to the doctor, you need to analyze the situation. By itself, shortness of breath is a lack of air, a change in the depth of breathing, as well as its frequency. A he althy person can also have this problem, for example, after a long run or with excessive excitement. In such situations, it is quite normal for the body to demandan extra dose of oxygen. But if shortness of breath appears with light exertion, and even in combination with other symptoms of heart failure, you should immediately contact a cardiologist for advice.
Shortness of breath in heart failure: treatment, drugs
In order to overcome such a problem as shortness of breath, you must first deal with its cause. In our case, it is heart failure. With an integrated approach to treatment, there is every chance to improve the condition of the body. Here you need to apply all the factors:
- give up bad habits;
- diet;
- try to control your emotional state, don't get nervous;
- continue to load the body with physical activity, at least daily walks.
For the normal functioning of the heart, the following groups of drugs are usually used:
- Glycoside. Aligns the rhythm and has a cardiotonic effect.
- Inhibitor. Dilates arteries and restores vascular function.
- Diuretic drug. Removes fluid from the body to improve condition.
- Beta blocker. Enriches the body with oxygen and reduces the contraction of the heart muscles.
By treating shortness of breath in heart failure with these drugs prescribed by a cardiologist, you can significantly improve the condition, problems with shortness of breath go away. It is important not to be lazy, because no one but you can defeat the disease.
Physical exercise
Often, experts recommend supplementing the treatment of shortness of breath in heart failure with breathing exercises. There are a number of activities that will not only help improve the result, but also simply give pleasure. All exercises are recommended to be repeated three times, while inhaling is done with the nose, and exhaling with the mouth:
- Count to five, while on 1, 2, 3, 4 we inhale air, and on 5 we exhale. Repeat the process three times. Don't worry if you get a little dizzy. This is a sign that the lungs have received too much oxygen.
- Sit in a chair with your back straight. We inhale, raising the shoulders, and exhale, lowering them. Don't turn your head back.
- We sit, as in the previous exercise, but now we inhale and bring the left hand to the side and back. Exhaling, return the hand to its original position. Then we do the same with the right hand.
- We are still sitting. This time, when inhaling, we open both hands as wide as possible, and as we exhale, we return our hands and sit relaxed.
- Combine breathing with squats. Inhale - squat, then exhale and rise.
In addition to such exercises, you can go for walks, swim and do exercises in the air. Here are some of the suggested exercises:
- circular body movements with hands on the waist;
- motion "scissors" hands in front of him at chest level;
- toe walking;
- fold your hands in the castle and raise them above your head, while taking your leg back towear.
Help Mother Nature
As already noted, one of the most common problems, especially in middle-aged people, is shortness of breath due to heart failure. Treatment with folk remedies is used quite often, as many people trust nature more than medications. Of course, nature can help, but it is unlikely to cure the problem completely. In any case, before engaging in treatment with traditional medicine, consult a specialist. It is worth noting here that the treatment of shortness of breath in chronic heart failure also allows the use of folk remedies. What means help in treatment? There are dozens of recipes, and among them:
- mixture of garlic and lemons;
- mixture of lemons, honey and garlic;
- infusion of celandine;
- turnip decoction;
- blackberry decoction;
- herbal collection of elderflower, sundew, plantain and violet.
When using any prescription, you must definitely consult a cardiologist so as not to worsen the condition of the body by self-medication.
Signs of shortness of breath due to heart failure
Before you start treating shortness of breath in heart failure, you need to understand that this is this kind of shortness of breath, and not any other. After all, shortness of breath can be a sign of various abnormalities. Heart failure has a number of symptoms:
- difficulty breathing, namely inhalation;
- the appearance or increase of shortness of breath during physicalload;
- appearance or increase of shortness of breath in the supine position (in this position, the heart works harder than in the standing position).
First Aid
Whatever the treatment for shortness of breath in heart failure, there are times when urgent help is needed for a person who suffers from this ailment. Naturally, if you find yourself in such a situation, then immediately you need to call an ambulance. In the meantime, you are waiting for the team of doctors, you need to do the following:
- Put the patient on a chair with the legs down.
- Open a window, a window for fresh air access.
- Loosen the collar of the clothes.
- Let the patient rest in complete peace.
- Use an oxygen bag if available.
- Put nitroglycerin under the patient's tongue (one tablet is enough).
- Warm the limbs of the patient with a heating pad or other available method.
Treatment of breathlessness in dogs with heart failure
Oddly enough, but our smaller friends - dogs - can also suffer from diseases that affect humans. And heart failure is one of them. Therefore, shortness of breath can appear not only in humans, but also in dogs. Treatment of the disease is carried out under the absolute supervision of a veterinarian, but there are actions that will help alleviate the condition of the animal at a certain point when shortness of breath becomes unbearable:
- Calling an ambulance veterinarian.
- Rubbing the remover under the tongueedema (even "Suprastin" is suitable, at the rate of half a tablet per 5 - 7 kg of animal weight).
- Give access to fresh air.
- Rub the back, ears, chest of the dog.
- If necessary, do a heart massage.
- It is possible to use an immunostimulant in the form of an injection.
