Hcs 245 - Heart Failure

Heart Failure: Summary

Monica Lister

HCS 245

Wendy Cockron

May 4, 2015

Heart failure

Heart failure is a dangerous disease that results from failure of heart in maintaining sufficient blood flow in the body. Signs and symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, leg swelling and excessive tiredness. Heart failure is commonly caused by coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, volvuli heart disease and cardiomyopathy (Li, 2012).

Altitudes, beliefs and knowledge that relates to heart failure are commonly influenced by ethnicity and culture hence impacting upon person’s capacity in engaging in self-care behaviors. Strategy management of heart failure hugely depends on facilitation of cultural and self-care behavior, which help in increasing commitment to both non-pharmacological and pharmacological strategies. It is of essential requirement in comprehending the cultural experiences of people with chronic heart failure in adapting appropriate mechanisms for prevention and treatment (Li, 2012). Cultural and beliefs provides crucial aids in interpretations of beliefs, values and attitudes relating to individuals’ health.

According to many conducted researches, it has been found that individuals with heart failure diseases hold some maladaptive and misconceptions cultural beliefs about heart disease. For example, those people suffering from heart failure firmly believe in statement that ‘people with heart failure disease need to take life easy’ and that ‘it is advisable to avoid anything that brings about chest pain or angina.’ In addition, most people believe that if you one has had one heart failure you are likely to have another one.’ This derailed the prevention and treatment of the disease since kind of these misconceptions discourage any physical fitness practices, excitement, and exercise in individuals with heart failure diseases. The research has also shown that many of the people believe in traditional methods that help to protect themselves in enhancing their health (Kleinman, 2010). These methods include herbal medicine and traditional therapies. If any one of these methods works, the traditional doctors would introduce it other people despite lack of systematic evidence for these traditional healings. This hinders treatment of heart failure since it become difficult to convince people about importance of seeing appropriate treatment.