Chronic Heart Failure

Anyone suffering from chronic heart failure (CHF) in Colorado Springs is likely to need assistance for managing fatigue, shortness of breath, general weakness, numbness of the hands and feet, and possibly an irregular heartbeat. The professionals at Gentle Shepherd Home Care can provide all the necessary assistance, to help guide a patient through this difficult time. Many CHF patients need help with bathing, meal preparation, dressing, and house-cleaning, and that’s where skilled in-home senior care from the specialists at Gentle Shepherd can make a big difference for you. Continue reading below to find out more about CHF, and how elderly care can work wonders for you or your loved one.

Generally speaking, chronic heart failure is a condition which inhibits the heart’s natural ability to pump blood throughout the body. It can be a severe and dangerous condition because it not only affects your quality of life, but it can actually be disabling at its worst. Even mild cases of CHF will cause patients to experience regular chest pains, difficulty breathing and sleeping, edema, and depression. 

Some of the most common causes of CHF are diabetes, an abnormality of your cardiac structure or functionality, hypertension, or other coronary problems you may have. That means you can actually be born with a predisposition to developing CHF, or it may develop during your lifetime as a result of some other disease you’ve contracted. 

There are a number of symptoms of CHF, and having any one of them is not necessarily an indication that you have the condition. However, if you experience two or more of these symptoms, it becomes more likely that you do have chronic heart failure. Here are some things to look for:

As serious as CHF is, there are some treatment options available to you. First of all, there are medications which can help manage your symptoms, and there are devices and procedures which can help alleviate them as well. Lifestyle changes may help your long-term outlook, and can also help to improve your symptoms over time. Cardiac rehabilitation is also sometimes effective at improving your condition.

Caring for someone troubled by CHF usually involves helping them adopt a healthier lifestyle, as well as monitoring their symptoms for signs of improvement or worsening. It also will call for regular exercise to help manage symptoms and strengthen the heart, so it is better able to meet your needs with regard to blood flow and circulation.

If you or a loved one is in need of assistance to help manage your CHF, our specialists at Gentle Shepherd Home Care are ready and waiting to provide help. Contact us today, so we can help you back on the road to better health and a fuller lifestyle.