100 Questions & Answers About Congestive

Whether you or a loved one has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, The number and type of diagnosis and treatment options can be overwhelming. This invaluable resource offers the guidance and advice you need. Written by a prominent physician and by a leader in patient support for this devastating disease, 100 Questions & Answers About Congestive Heart Failure gives you authoritative, practical answers to your questions, including causes, diagnosis, treatment options, quality of life, care giving, sources of support, and much more.

Foreword

vii

Introduction

1

(2)

Part 1: The Basics

3

(22)

Questions 1--12 provide background information for understanding CHF, covering such topics as:

What is congestive heart failure (CHF)?

Is CHF serious?

Is there a cure for heart failure?

Part 2: Diagnosis

25

(10)

Questions 12--24 discuss how CHF is diagnosed:

How is CHF diagnosed?

What is an echocardiogram?

Part 3: Exacerbations

35

(22)

Questions 25--38 address exacerbations, or periods of worsening CHF symptoms:

What is an ``exacerbation'' of CHF?

How do I know if my CHF is getting worse?

What is a CHF action plan?

Part 4: Treatment

57

(36)

Questions 39--70 describe the types of treatments available for CHF (including medication, surgery, and complementary and alternative therapies) and address the challenges of evaluating treatment options.

What are the usual medications that doctors prescribe CHF patients?

Are pacemakers used to treat heart failure?

Is alternative or complementary medicine helpful for CHF?

Part 5: Rehabilitation

93

(8)

Questions 71--78 cover the goals and benefits of cardiac rehabilitation programs:

What is cardiac rehabilitation?

Is cardiac rehabilitation helpful for patients with CHF?

Part 6: Heart Valves

101

(10)

Questions 79--86 are concerned with issues that arise from living with CHF:

What are the heart valves?

How can problems with the heart valves cause heart failure?

What causes valve disease?

Part 7: Managing Your CHF

111

(16)

Questions 87--92 provide important information on managing your CHF:

What is an arrhythmia?

I thought low blood pressure was a good thing. Why is my doctor concerned about my low blood pressure?

Is depression common with CHF?

Part 8: Surviving CHF

127

(32)

Questions 93--99 discuss how to live a quality life with CHF:

What can I do to improve my quality of life?

Is exercise helpful for patients with CHF?

How do I stop smoking?

Appendix

159

(7)

Question 100 is a list of web sites, organizations, and literature to help CHF patients and their families find additional resources on general and specific topics related to CHF.

Glossary

166

(5)

Index

171

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100 Questions & Answers About Congestive Heart Failure

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials