Rising Heart Failure Epidemic: Are Your Eating Habits Among the Most Damaging

170,000 people treated at hospitals… More women are getting older

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Middle-aged people and older, whose blood vessels age quickly, need different eating habits than when they were younger. They should reduce foods high in saturated fat, such as meat, dairy products, snacks, fried foods, and ramen. [사진=게티이미지뱅크]

Heart failure occurs when there is a problem with the function of the heart pumping blood to the whole body and receiving it again. It can occur when the heart blood vessels (arteries) are partially or completely blocked due to underlying diseases such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Heart failure is increasing. The rate of increase is also so large that it is not an exaggeration to use the words ‘rapid increase’ and ‘explosion’. Why is heart failure increasing so much? Eating habits that have changed too much are also being pointed out as a cause.

One year 17Ten thousand people visited the hospital with heart failure… As we get older, there are more women

The number of people who visited hospitals due to heart failure reached 169,446 in 2022 alone. It is a 27.7% increase from 132,729 in 2018, five years ago (data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service). If this trend continues, the aftereffects are expected to be significant. Female patients increase with age. In those under 60, 55.4% of male patients are male and 44.6% are female, but in those over 70, the gap is wide, with 64.0% female and 36.0% male.

​fatigue, leg swelling, Shortness of breath symptoms… I woke up out of breath during sleep

The heart maintains blood circulation by relaxing and contracting. If there is a problem with the left ventricle, which receives blood from the whole body due to a cardiovascular abnormality, water builds up in the lungs and shortness of breath occurs. If there is a problem with the left or right ventricle, which sends blood back to the body, chronic fatigue, weakness, leg swelling, ascites, shortness of breath, or shortness of breath occurs. If you are too short of breath when climbing stairs, you may suspect a lack of exercise, but it may be a symptom of heart failure. If it gets worse, you may be short of breath even while resting and wake up from sleep. There may also be a lot of swelling in the ankles.

High blood pressure–diabetes–Hyperlipidemia must be managed well… Blood clots cause problems with blood circulation

The most common cause is cardiovascular abnormalities. In particular, arteries function to supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. If blood clots form due to hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia and partially or completely block the arteries, blood supply becomes unstable. The heart’s relaxation and contraction functions are greatly reduced, causing problems with blood circulation. If such underlying diseases occur, they should be managed well. First, lifestyle habits such as diet control and exercise should be changed.

If you eat too much salty food in your body, it can be a burden on your heart.… Good eating habits for prevention are?

There are cases where weight gain occurs suddenly. This may mean that there is a lot of water and salt in the body. This is a sign that heart failure is progressing. Salty substances hold water in the body. The increased water makes the heart pump harder, which can worsen heart failure (data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). If you have heart failure, limit salt intake to less than 5 g per day.

Excessive obesity itself puts a burden on the heart. It is important to prevent high blood pressure, and if you are already a patient, you should manage it well. Quitting smoking is essential, and stress should also be controlled. Overeating puts a burden on the heart. It is better to eat small meals. You should refrain from eating high-fat, high-cholesterol foods that are not good for preventing and managing hyperlipidemia. If you already have high blood pressure, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia, you should regularly consult a doctor and manage it.

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