Heart failure is a pathological condition due to the fact that the heart does not cope with its function, does not provide normal blood circulation. Cardiopulmonary insufficiency is a violation of blood circulation caused by pathological changes in the lungs, blood vessels of the small circulation.
Causes of cardiopulmonary failure
There are acute (developing for several hours, a maximum of days) and chronic cardiopulmonary insufficiency. The cause of acute failure may be embolism or thrombosis of small vessels, pneumonia, a severe attack of asthma, pneumothorax.
Chronic form of the disease can develop for years and be caused by heart defects, myocarditis, pneumosclerosis, hypertension in a small circle of blood circulation, other pathologies of the heart and lungs.
Symptoms of cardiopulmonary failure
Among the signs of illness are:
- shortness of breath, observed first with physical exertion, and subsequently at rest;
- cyanosis (cyanosis) of the mucous membranes, lips;
- presence of wheezing in the lungs ;
- frequent deep breathing;
- edema, especially the lower extremities, which gradually rise higher and in severe cases capture the lower abdomen;
- general weakness and fatigue;
- possible violations of the heart rate, arrhythmia.
Treatment of cardiopulmonary failure
A preliminary diagnosis can be made by a doctor at the examination, for more complete diagnosis and establishing the causes of the disease may require analysis, ECG, echocardiography.
Treatment of the disease largely depends on its root causes and includes:
- therapy of heart or lung disease, which provoked insufficiency;
- the use of diuretics for the removal of edema (usually together with drugs to maintain the level of potassium in the body);
- the use of cardiac glycosides (digitalis, strophanthin and others);
- taking drugs to normalize the pressure;
- oxygen therapy and the appointment of drugs that stimulate the work of the respiratory center;
- the use of eufillina or other drugs that exert an expanding effect on the blood vessels of the small circle of blood circulation;
- application of phytopreparations as an aid, the most widely used digitalis;
- physiotherapy, diet, measures designed to normalize weight.
In some cases, with severe disease, surgical intervention may be required.