Coronary artery disease

If your heart failure is caused by coronary heart disease, one or more of your coronary arteries (arteries that supply blood to your heart muscle) have narrowed due to the build-up of a cholesterol containing mass (plaque) inside the artery wall. This narrowing of your artery reduces the amount of oxygen and nourishment that is able to reach your heart muscle, causing angina (chest pain) often during exercise. This lack of oxygen and nutrients makes the muscle work harder in order to pump blood around your body. Coronary artery disease can be delayed, and even prevented, by lifestyle and medical approaches. If you have this condition, you should discuss any changes you could make to your lifestyle with your doctor and how he/she can help you to prevent any further damage, slow the build-up of plaque in the arteries, and prevent progression of your heart failure

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ESC Guidelines for Heart Failure

What patients need to know

This guide for patients from the European Society of Cardiology aims to provide an overview of the latest evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure.

In particular, it should help patients to understand the:

  • main types of heart failure
  • medicines used to treat heart failure
  • devices that may be appropriate
  • importance of rehabilitation
  • management by a multidisciplinary team
  • importance of self-care in managing your own condition

Learn more

AN ANIMATED JOURNEY THROUGH HEART FAILURE

A series of 9 simple, captivating animations explaining heart failure and its treatment.

These narrated animations explain how a healthy heart works, what happens to it in heart failure and how various treatments work to improve your health.

PATIENT AND CAREGIVERS VIDEOS

In this section you can watch, listen or read interviews with other people with heart failure and their caregivers.

VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE

and share your own views and experiences with other patients, families and caregivers.

heartfailurematters.org is a European Society of Cardiology website

The heartfailurematters.org website was developed under the direction of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The ESC is a world leader in the discovery and dissemination of best practices in cardiovascular medicine. Our members and decision-makers are healthcare professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to represent professionals in the field of cardiology in Europe and beyond.

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