The number of elderly people and nowadays young people developing heart failure is increasing. Before we look at what leads to heart failure, it’s necessary for us to understand what exactly heart failure is. The general notion is heart failure means that the heart has stopped working or will eventually stop working.

Heart failure is a condition in which a weakened heart is unable to pump the normal amount of blood carrying oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Heart failure cannot be termed as a disease but is a chronic syndrome that generally develops slowly.

If the heart failure is mild, it may not significantly affect a person’s lifestyle and day-to-day living. On the other hand, severe heart failure can affect a person’s every move and can be fatal. Thus the severity can range from a very mild heart failure to a severe heart failure.

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A pill costing just 1.40 pound a day can dramatically slashed the number of deaths from heart failure, researchers have found.

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Exercise plays an important role in making our heart stronger by improving blood flow and decreasing its workload, researchers say.

According to Joseph Libonati, PhD, associate professor of nursing at Penn Nursing, exercise improves the ratio between the heart`s demand for oxygen and its supply through the coronary arteries.

With exercise, the heart gets stronger because it gets bigger and is able to pump more efficiently.

Top heart healthy foods

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Dried figs are said to reduce the risk of heart disease. They are also rich in fibre.

There is good news on the health front. A leading cardiologist says incidents of heart disease in India are set to plateau in seven to eight years and then fall due to greater awareness about a healthy lifestyle and more effective drugs.

`People are cutting down on salt intake, a development that is sure to bring down now rampant cases of high blood pressure,` Vinay Sanghi, who is from the Fortis Escorts Hospital said.

`More patient friendly medication with few side effects is also now available,` he said. `People also understand the necessity of exercising every day.

`All these three factors should cut down the number of those who face the risk of heart ailment,` said Sanghi, who returned to India after serving in the US from 1995 to 2010.

7 ways to heart health

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The cells of the heart and arteries are ageing like every other tissue in the body, and that is why we see more and more heart attacks every year as women age. The arrival of menopause with its altered hormonal impact does not seem to play a role in the increased number of heart attacks in older women.

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Scientists have unearthed more evidence to show that fatty deposits around the heart, more than the warped body mass index (BMI), promote thickening of arteries.

The BMI is height to weight ratio. If the ratio is skewed, it indicates the possibility of cardiac disease or obesity.

Also read: Heart disease at 30? Blame lifestyle

Plaque or fatty deposits cause thickening of the artery wall on one side. The lopsided thickening is referred to as plaque eccentricity and strongly indicates heart disease.

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Train yourself to gain satisfaction in four of the specific life domains, job, family, sex, and self for better heart health.

More tips for heart health

Postmenopausal women who often consumed baked or broiled fish had a 30 percent lower risk of developing heart failure, as compared to women who seldom ate it. And dark fish like salmon and mackerel are particularly good.

A maximum serving of five or more per week of baked or broiled fish was linked with a lower risk, says a large-scale study.

Previous research has found that fatty acids (omega-3) in fish, EPA, DHA and ALA may lower risk of heart disease by decreasing inflammation, resisting oxidative stress and improving blood pressure, cardiac and blood vessel function, reports the journal Circulation: Heart Failure.

Tips to prevent heart disease in women

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Tea keeps the body hydrated and it’s also a rich source of flavonoids which reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

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