TAMPA, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Heart failure affects 6.2 million adults in the United States. But many don’t even know they have it. In fact, they think it could be something else. Ivanhoe has the symptoms you may be ignoring.
Stan DeFreitas’ story is speckled with sunshine. For decades, he’s been known as Mr. Green Thumb, a nationally known gardener with radio and tv shows.
“Plants … I know. Horticulture … I know. A little bit of radio and television … I think I know. But when it came to signs of heart problems, I didn’t know,” shared DeFreitas.
What a shock when he ended up with heart failure on the waiting list to get a heart transplant. And yes, he was still gabbing about gardening from his hospital bed.
“Without plant material, we wouldn’t be here,” said DeFreitas.
Same goes for a heart. But like many, he ignored what could have been deadly signs.
Siva Kumar, MD, a transplant cardiologist at Tampa General Hospital, stated, “No matter what all the different insults are to the heart muscle, it all leads to the heart failure.”
Insults like alcohol, high blood pressure, unaddressed thyroid issues, and smoking. But the symptoms are many times mistaken for something else.
“Some patients will have a cough, so they think they have bronchitis,” continued Dr. Kumar.
Kumar also said abdominal distention, not being able to bend down and tie shoes, and lightheadedness can also be mistaken for something else when in fact it is heart failure.
“The moment you’re not getting better, the next step is to make sure your heart is okay,” said Dr. Kumar.
“I was like a river in Egypt. I was in denial,” exclaimed DeFreitas.
For Mr. Green Thumb, well he had to get a new heart. But now he’s hoping to plant seeds for others so their story doesn’t get cut short like his almost did.
Dr. Kumar said mechanical hearts are also used for patients with heart failure. But he says it all depends on the patient’s situation. He said usually when patients are treated for heart failure, 90 percent of the time they are treated with medication and there is a dramatic response. And one more thing … Mr. Green Thumb is writing a book called A Heart for Gardening.
Contributors to this news report include: Emily Gleason, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor; and Chris Tilley, Videographer.
DON’T INSULT YOUR HEART: KNOW THE RISK
REPORT #2880
BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen. Your body depends on the heart’s pumping action to deliver oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the body’s cells. When the cells are nourished properly, the body can function normally. However, with heart failure, the weakened heart can’t supply the cells with enough blood which results in fatigue, shortness of breath, and sometimes coughing. Everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries can become difficult. Usually, there is no cure for heart failure, and it is considered a serious condition.
(Source: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/what-is-heart-failure)
CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS: In heart failure, the main pumping chambers of the heart may become stiff and not fill properly between beats. In some cases, the heart muscle may become damaged and weakened, and the ventricles dilate to the point that the heart can’t pump blood efficiently throughout the body. Over time, the heart can no longer keep up with the normal demands placed on it to pump blood to the rest of the body. Some heart failure symptoms may include shortness of breath when you exert yourself or lie down; fatigue and weakness; swelling in the legs, ankles and feet; rapid or irregular heartbeat; persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm; lack of appetite and nausea; difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness; chest pain if your heart failure is caused by a heart attack. Not all conditions that lead to heart failure can be reversed. However, there are some steps you can take to improve the symptoms of heart failure like exercising, reducing sodium in your diet, managing stress and losing weight.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-failure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373142)
NEW MEDICATION FOR HEART FAILURE: Omecamtiv mecarbil, a new investigational heart medication reduced the risk of heart failure-related events in patients with reduced ejection fraction, according to research from American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions. Ejection fraction (EF) is a measurement of the proportion of blood the heart pumps out with each contraction. For this study, an EF of 35% was required. The study enrolled more than 8,000 patients in 35 countries with chronic heart failure who were either currently hospitalized or with a recent history of hospitalization or emergency department visit within one year prior to screening. The study found that patients receiving omecamtiv mecarbil had less risk of experiencing a heart failure event or cardiovascular death. The medicine had a greater effect for patients with lower ejection fraction (28%), an indicator of more advanced heart failure. “Omecamtiv mecarbil is the first in a class of heart medicines called myotropes that selectively target cardiac muscle to improve cardiac performance,” said John R. Teerlink, MD, director of heart failure and of the Echocardiography Laboratory at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco.
* For More Information, Contact:
Ellen Fiss, Public Relations
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