Heart Failure

Cardiology, Cardiac Electrophysiologists, General Cardiology, Cardiology, Cardiologists & Cardiologist to Women's Health & Cardiology located in Lanham, Bowie, Camp Springs, Largo and Laurel, MD

Heart Failure services offered in Lanham, Bowie, Camp Springs, Largo and Laurel, MD

An estimated 6.2 million Americans have heart failure and require medical monitoring of the condition for the rest of their lives. At Capitol Cardiology Associates, the skilled cardiologists provide on-site diagnostic testing services to assess the health of your heart. They customize long-term treatment plans to prevent your heart failure symptoms from worsening and lower your risk of heart attack and other potentially life-threatening issues. Call the office in Lanham, Bowie, Camp Springs, Silver Spring, Laurel, or Largo, Maryland, to schedule a heart failure evaluation or book an appointment online today.

Book Online

Heart Failure Q & A

What is heart failure?

Heart failure occurs when your heart muscle isn’t pumping blood out to the rest of your body as efficiently as it should. This allows blood and other fluids to build up around your heart and in your lungs.

You can develop heart failure if you have other conditions that weaken or damage your heart, such as coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD describes a narrowing in the arteries that bring blood to your heart. Narrowed arteries make blood flow difficult and can weaken your heart.

What are the symptoms of heart failure?

Heart failure can come on suddenly or develop gradually over time. When your heart isn’t pumping blood as well as it should, you can experience a wide range of symptoms, including:

Persistent fatigue
Shortness of breath
Irregular or rapid heartbeat
Chronic cough, and wheezing

You may also experience swelling in your abdomen, legs, ankles, and feet due to fluid buildup.

If you have sudden or intense chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, or other signs of a heart attack, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 for immediate medical attention.

If you have non-emergency symptoms of heart failure, schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Capitol Cardiology Associates.

The team offers on-site diagnostic technologies, including electrocardiogram (EKG) and echocardiogram, to assess your heart’s function and identify the cause of heart failure.

Based on your test results and the severity of your symptoms, your cardiologist customizes a treatment plan to relieve symptoms and protect the long-term function of your heart.

How is heart failure treated?

Heart failure is a chronic condition that needs to be managed for the rest of your life.

Your treatment plan for heart failure may include medications to slow your heart rate or improve the efficiency of blood flow through your blood vessels. You may also need to take medications to eliminate excess fluids from your body.

Lifestyle and diet changes are also essential for managing heart failure in the long term. You should follow a low-fat, low-salt diet and engage in daily exercise to improve the function and strength of your heart.

If these strategies aren’t enough to treat your heart failure symptoms, you may need surgery to remove blockages in your blood vessels or replace a faulty heart valve.

The providers also perform surgery to place a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to regulate your heartbeat.

Call the Capitol Cardiology Associates office near you to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for heart failure symptoms or book an appointment online today.