NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Heart disease doesn’t stop at the heart; in fact, Lowcountry medical professionals said it can damage multiple organs throughout the body.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. When the heart weakens, it can trigger a domino effect that damages the kidneys, liver and brain.
Heart-kidney connection poses particular risk
The connection between heart and kidney health is especially dangerous, doctors said. A struggling heart cannot pump blood efficiently, so kidneys don’t receive the oxygen they need and begin to fail.
Chelsey Kight, a nurse practitioner at HCA Healthcare Trident Hospital Heart Failure Clinic, said some heart medications can exacerbate damage to the kidneys…