One of the vital organs in the body is the heart. It must always be taken care of. Doctors discover various diseases in the early stages, thanks to modern research methods. But it depends on the person how timely he will pay attention to deviations in his health. In adulthood or old age, screening is necessary regularly. Very quickly, heart failure can go into the chronic stage, which in advanced cases is difficult to treat and poses a great threat to human life. Consider what are the functional classes of heart failure below.
What does CHF mean?
Chronic heart failure is characterized by a state of the main organ in which it is not able to pump blood in the required volume due to pathological changes. As a result of this, insufficient blood supply to tissues and organs as a whole is observed. All body systems suffer.
The disease can be recognized in the first stage, if you do not ignore the first symptoms. In this case, the treatment will be successful, as the changes in the body are still easily reversible. In advanced stages, this pathology can lead to death, to sudden death.
There is a classification of heart failure in functional classes.
Why does CHF occur?
The development of chronic heart failure can occur for a number of reasons:
1. There are diseases that affect the myocardium:
The consequences of a heart attack.
2. Heart disease:
- Congenital malformations and acquired.
- Arrhythmia.
- Blockades.
- Inflammatory heart disease.
3. Endocrine diseases:
- Diabetes.
- Impaired thyroid function.
- Diseases of the adrenal glands.
4. Wrong lifestyle:
- Overweight.
- Lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet.
- The exhaustion of the body.
- Inadequate physical activity.
- Bad habits.
5. High blood pressure.
6. Chronic renal failure.
7. HIV infection.
8. metabolic disorders.
9. Diseases that are accompanied by deposition in tissues of structures unusual for them:
Symptoms of heart failure can be pronounced or manifest imperceptibly. In the first stages, they are less pronounced. For recognition, it is important to know how this disease is classified.
Degrees of illness
With the development of CHF, degrees and functional classes can be distinguished.
Consider what degrees are:
- Easy. It is very difficult to recognize, as the symptoms are associated with general fatigue or bad weather, but this stage is compensated. All processes can be restored.
- Moderate degree. It is divided in this way: 2a - insufficiency in the pulmonary circle of blood circulation, 2b - circulatory failure affected the entire vascular system. Restoring damaged tissues and organs is very difficult.
- Severe degree. All pathological changes cannot be restored. In this case, it remains to carry out activities that support the body to prolong life.
It is worth noting that the transition from one degree to another without the necessary treatment takes only 1-2 years.
Classification of CHF
In 1965, American cardiologists developed a classification that differs from the Soviet one. It provides an assessment based on the severity of the patient's condition. In this case, violations in the large and small circle of blood circulation are not taken into account.
NYHA functional classes of CHF are as follows:
- The disease manifests itself slightly. At rest, no symptoms are observed. With significant physical exertion, severe fatigue is not noticed.
- At rest, pathological changes are not observed. Exercise causes fatigue and shortness of breath.
- At rest, she does not feel discomfort, but at the slightest load there appears a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath.
- Pathological changes in tissues and organs are irreversible. Symptoms are pronounced at rest.
Such a classification is not suitable in order to maximally objectively assess the severity of right ventricular failure of decompensated pulmonary heart. But it is simple and often used in clinical practice.
It is worth noting that degrees 2 and 3 correspond to 2a and 2b by definition of functional classes of heart failure according to Strazhesko-Vasilenko. About it further.
Classification by Strazhesko-Vasilenko
Russian cardiologists use this technique as the basis for determining the severity of heart failure.
We provide the functional classes of heart failure according to Strazhesko-Vasilenko with the additions of N. M. Mukharlyamov and L. I. Olbinskaya.
1. Changes in the body are not detected at rest. Only during exercise can deviations from the norm be detected.
- Stage 1a. Preclinical. No complaints. With exercise, a decrease in myocardial contractility and an increase in the end-diastolic volume of the left ventricle can be detected.
- Stage 1b. Hidden chronic. Symptoms appear only during physical exertion. At rest, all systems normalize their work.
2. The movement of blood through the vessels is impaired. There is stagnation in the circles of blood circulation and at rest.
- Stage 2a. Symptoms are mild at rest. Blood circulation is impaired in one of the departments of the cardiovascular system, in a small or large circle.
- Stage 2b. The final stage of development of chronic heart failure. Blood circulation disorders appear in the vessels of the entire cardiovascular system.
3. Pronounced violations of the movement of blood through the vessels and venous congestion in both circles of blood circulation. Pathological changes in the work of organs and tissues.
- Stage 3a. Severe symptoms of blood stasis in both circles of blood circulation.
- Stage 3b. Severe circulatory disorders, which led to irreversible changes in tissue structures and organ function.
Both classification systems complement each other. Specialists indicate the stage according to N. D. Strazhesko and V. Kh. Vasilenko, and next provides information on functional classes according to NYHA.
Symptoms of CHF 1 and 2 degrees
We list the symptoms characteristic of the first degree of CHF:
- Fatigue comes earlier than usual.
- After significant loads, the heartbeat becomes more frequent than usual.
- Bad dream.
- Shortness of breath can occur after a long conversation or after physical exertion.
Symptoms of degree 2a are characterized by the following manifestations:
- Shortness of breath appears after slight physical exertion.
- Concerned about the feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium.
- With minor physical exertion, the heartbeat significantly increases.
- Insomnia appears.
- Appetite worsens.
Symptoms of degree 2b:
- Pain in the chest.
- Shortness of breath may occur at rest.
- Heart palpitations at rest.
This stage is treated much more difficult. To restore all the lost functions of tissues and organs is not always possible.
Symptoms of 3 degrees of CHF
This is a very difficult situation and poses a serious threat to the patient's life.
Symptoms for CHF 3 functional classes are as follows:
- Arrhythmia.
- Cyanotic shade not only of the skin, but also of the mucous membranes.
- Puffiness of the whole body.
- Cough is accompanied by hemoptysis.
- Shortness of breath is very common.
- Moist rales are observed in the lungs.
- The heartbeat is heard weakly and fast.
Application of classification of heart failure
As a rule, the most simple methods are most often used to make a diagnosis. So, to determine the functional class of heart failure in the United States and in our country, a very simple method is used.
In America, there is a Cooper test. It consists in the following: the patient within 6 minutes walks along the corridor a certain distance, by which it is possible to assess the stage of heart failure. The interpretation of the results is as follows:
- If the patient has passed 425-550 meters, this is an easy stage of heart failure.
- The distance of 150-425 meters - indicates the middle stage, the voltage of the compensatory reactions.
- A distance of less than 150 meters is overcome in severe heart failure. This is the stage when the body is not able to compensate for the harm caused by heart failure.
In Russia, the cardiology department is often located on the upper floors of the clinic. So you can evaluate the blood circulation in heart failure. The classification of functional classes by floors is as follows:
- The appearance of shortness of breath when climbing the first flight of stairs refers to the third functional class.
- When climbing to the first floor, the appearance of shortness of breath speaks of a second functional class.
- If you managed to overcome 3 floors without shortness of breath - the functional class is the third.
- If dyspnea is observed at rest, then these are signs of decompensated patients that belong to the fourth functional class.
The determination of CHF classification of functional classes according to NYHA is of great importance in the therapeutic treatment of patients.
CHF in animals
Not only a person, but also an animal can suffer from chronic heart failure. We can distinguish the stages characteristic of CHF and functional classes in dogs. Such a disease is characteristic of age-old tetrapods of small and large breeds. In cats, the disease practically does not occur.
Depending on the degree of development of heart failure in a dog, the functional classes will have the following form:
- 1 class. Symptoms are not expressed. You may notice abnormalities with strong physical or emotional stress.
- 2nd grade. At rest, symptoms are not observed. With moderate exercise, symptoms may appear.
- 3rd grade. At rest, the symptoms are not expressed. With moderate load, signs of heart failure appear.
- 4th grade. Pronounced symptoms at rest. Signs intensify with any physical exertion.
What can cause the development of heart failure in a dog, we will consider further.
Causes of heart failure in animals
Dogs can develop heart failure for the following reasons:
- Excessive exercise.
- Overwork.
- Overload of the heart muscle.
- Obesity.
- Diseases of the kidneys and liver.
- Bronchopulmonary pathologies.
- Arterial hypertension.
- Myocarditis.
- Heart defects.
- Toxins
Stage CHF in dogs
Consider the symptoms of stages of heart failure:
- 1st stage. Symptoms do not appear. During the examination, you can find that the MK is changed, while the atrium is not enlarged.
- 2 stage. Symptoms are not noticeable. The atrium and ventricle have minor changes.
- 3 stage. A symptom appears in the form of cough, shortness of breath. Mild congestion can be detected in the lungs. In the left atrium, increased pressure.
- 4 stage. The heart performs poorly as a pump. Enlarged liver. The risk of pulmonary edema increases.
Diagnosis and prevention of heart failure in animals
To make a diagnosis of heart failure in a dog, it is necessary to conduct a number of studies:
1. Clinical. Identification of overt symptoms. Such as shortness of breath, lethargy, peripheral edema and so on.
2. Instrumental:
- ECG.
- Ultrasound
- Chest x-ray.
3. Laboratory:
- General analysis of urine and blood.
- The presence of sodium, potassium, creatinine.
Prevention of heart failure is one of the most important events for older dogs. It is necessary to carry out once a year:
- examination by a veterinarian;
- take blood and urine tests;
- Ultrasound of the heart;
- electrocardiography.
If the pathology is detected at an early stage, then this is a great chance to cure the disease and prolong the life of your pet.
The significance of the classification of heart failure
Determining the stage of heart failure and the functional class is of great importance in the appointment of therapeutic treatment. NYHA assessment is based on the patient’s condition and is widely used in prescribing therapy. Classification by Strozhenko-Vasilenko describe in more detail the picture of the development of heart failure.
The definition of a functional class makes it possible not only to select treatment, but also to predict its results. It is also important to select a diet, physical activity.
Forecasts for functional classes in heart failure are as follows:
- 1 FC dies 10% annually.
- 2 FC - about 20% with heart failure.
- 3 FC - approximately 40%.
- 4 FC - 65% of patients die per year.
Prevention of CHF
It should be noted preventive measures that will help to avoid the development of heart failure:
- Normalization of nutrition.
- Regular physical activity.
- Rejection of bad habits.
- Prevention of obesity.
- Treatment of chronic heart disease.
It is necessary to regularly undergo preventive examinations by a therapist. In case of unusual symptoms, you should consult a doctor in a timely manner, since pathological processes can become irreversible in 1-2 years.