If there is one thing that sounds scary coming from the mouth of a physician is concerned, it is the statement that you have been diagnosed with heart failure. Because the heart is solely responsible for pumping blood through your body to stay alive, learning that this organ has failed can sound alarming for sure. Even though most people are familiar with what heart failure is, most also believe some pretty misleading information about the condition. To make sure you are fully aware if you are at risk of heart failure, it is best to get these misconceptions out of the way right now.

Misconception: Heart failure is a condition that only affects the elderly. 

Fact: Heart failure has no age limit or certain age when it could happen. Although heart failure is more common among aging adults, the condition is instead caused by the overall condition of the heart, which can be bad even if you are young. Therefore, your doctor may go over the signs with you as an older adult more often than they would if you are a younger patient.

Misconception: If your heart is failing, there is nothing a doctor can do for you. 

Fact: Heart failure may sound like an ominous thing, but heart failure is a condition that can be treated. There are prescription medications designed to help recover from heart failure and various treatment options your cardiologist may recommend. Even though your life may be slightly different after being diagnosed with heart failure, you can still live a normal life with the care of a physician and ongoing attention to how your heart is functioning. 

Misconception: Heart failure and a heart attack is the same thing. 

Fact: Having a heart attack is something completely different than heart failure. If the heart has failed, it means that at least one part of the heart is not pumping blood through a specific part of the body, such as your legs, arms, or hands. Because of this, the blood pools in certain areas and can create a full list of problems for your body and your extremities. A heart attack occurs when there is lacking blood flow back to part of the heart, which can in turn cause some of the heart tissue to die and stop functioning. Both are serious conditions–often times with similar symptoms, but both are also treatable. 

For more information, make an appointment at a professional clinic, such as Temecula Valley Cardiology.