What are treatments for congestive heart failure?

my grandmother recently just went to the hospital lastnight because of her feet/legs swelling. They had been swollen for some days now. I called this morning and she told me she had congestive heart failure. Now, they are running more tests today.My question is this. Are there stages to this or something along that line. Ive looked it up on google and know about how the body holds Xtra water and it effects your heart,And oxygen gets blocked from going threw out the bodys areas.

Once youve been diagnosed, will they start treatment immed.?Will that then help your heart to start doing some repair?And help you feel better..?

Any info will be apprechated. Im totally in shock about all this, But i guess its good to find out now, then her waiting and having a heart-attack of something worse happen down the line.. Thanks

Heart failure is a syndrome of ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular failure causes shortness of breath and fatigue, and right ventricular failure causes peripheral and abdominal fluid accumulation; both ventricles are usually involved to some extent. Diagnosis is clinical, supported by chest x-ray and echocardiography.
Treatment:-Diuresis, digoxin, vasodilators, inotropics, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and oxygen.
Please see the web pages for more details on Heart failure.

Yes, she has probably already been started onsome medicine--this morning. Unless they want to run test first. She will be started on some sort of diuretic (water pill) . If her blood pressure is up--a blood pressure pill also. ( and possibly other medicine due to the outcome of these tests) This is not uncommon as we age. Good luck to HER and the family.
At her age--I doubt if there will be any "repair". Depending on "her" and how well she does is all that can be done.

Please don't be shocked by this. You poor grandmother probably had a lot of chronic diseases that brought this on. Or those who do coccaine or alcohol abuse can get CHF (congestive heart failure). What will occur now is that she will be placed on medication. Usually there are about four of them and each has a certain mechanism that help the heart and other vital organs. No surgery is required. She won't have a heart attack because of the CHF. She's probably beyond having one if she is much older. And yes the meds will probaby help her out a lot unless of course she is smoking and drinking and continues to be unhealthy with her weight and diet. I'm just speaking from my patient's history because I've never met a healthy CHFer.

It depends what country you live in and weather sh has health insurance or not in some. If the have a health programme in your country, they will start working on her straightaway. Probably get rid of the fluid first, with tablets. Then do the testing and work out what to do from there. Don't get to worked up about it. There are millions of people walking around today who are having treatment for heart problems and you would never know by looking at them. They can still live for a very long time. I have a heart problem but I don't let it bother me.

CHF can be left or right sided and symptoms are associated with each. Her treatment will consist of bed rest, diuretic drugs and in some cases vasodilator drugs. Once the heart failure is treated, attention is directed to treating the underlying cause.

Stage
Definition of Stage
Usual Treatments

Stage A
People at high risk of developing heart failure (pre-heart failure), including people with:
Hypertension
Diabetes
Coronary artery disease
Metabolic syndrome
History of cardiotoxic drug therapy
History of alcohol abuse
History of rheumatic fever
Family history of cardiomyopathy
Exercise regularly.
Quit smoking
Treat hypertension
Treat lipid disorders
Discontinue alcohol or illegal drug use
An angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitor) or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) is prescribed if you've had a coronary artery disease or if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other vascular or cardiac conditions
Beta blockers may be prescribed if you have high blood pressure or if you've had a previous heart attack

Stage B
People diagnosed with systolic left ventricular dysfunction but who have never had symptoms of heart failure (pre-heart failure), including people with:

Prior heart attack
Valve disease
Cardiomyopathy
The diagnosis is usually made when an ejection fraction of less than 40% is found during an echocardiogram test.
Treatment methods above for Stage A apply
All patients should take an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitors) or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB)
Beta-blockers and an aldosterone inhibitor should be prescribed for patients after a heart attack
Surgery options for coronary artery repair and valve repair or replacement (as appropriate) should be discussed
If appropriate, surgery options should be discussed for patients who have had a heart attack

Stage C
Patients with known systolic heart failure and current or prior symptoms. Most common symptoms include:

Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Reduced ability to exercise
Treatment methods above for Stage A apply
All patients should take an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitors) and beta-blockers
African-American patients may be prescribed a hydralazine/nitrate combination if symptoms persist
Diuretics (water pills) and digoxin may be prescribed if symptoms persist
An aldosterone inhibitor may be prescribed when symptoms remain severe with other therapies
Restrict dietary sodium (salt)
Monitor weight
Restrict fluids (as appropriate)
Drugs that worsen the condition should be discontinued
As appropriate, cardiac resynchronization therapy (biventricular pacemaker) may be recommended
An implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) may be recommended

Stage D
Patients with systolic heart failure and presence of advanced symptoms after receiving optimum medical care.
Treatment methods for Stages A, B & C apply
Patient should be evaluated to determine if the following treatments are available options: heart transplant, ventricular assist devices, surgery options, research therapies, continuous infusion of intravenous inotropic drugs and end-of-life (palliative or hospice) care

for more information see this website:

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide...

You may immediately start with the following:
1.Rescue remedy 30 one dose of 8 to 10 sugar pills
2.Brayonia 30 thrice a day for 7 days
3.Digitalis 30 thrice a day for 7 days
4.Naja 30 as above
5.Nat.Sulph 6x 4x4 times a day
6.Cactus G Q 10 drops with 4 teaspoon of water
1 to 4 may be chued orally.They may also be given in liquid form.
All the medicines are available on a homeopathic shop.
Wish your mother a quick recovery.

It's not good news except for the fact that they can treat symptoms and slow progression.


There is a good website attached.

honestly i dont know but my uncle had a similar thing, they had to take arteries from his legs and put them in the place of the ones in his heart.... it was hard on us.... but im not sayin or implying that this is what will happen to your grandma..