Congestive heart failure is caused by various heart conditions that impede the heart’s ability to pump blood, resulting in symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatment options include medication, surgery, and implantable devices, but prevention through lifestyle changes is the best approach.
Congestive heart failure, or CHF, refers to the inability of the heart to perform its main function: to pump blood around the body. It occurs when blood flow, or cardiac output, from the heart decreases, or fluid builds up or becomes ‘congested’ within the heart, or both. Insufficient cardiac output can only be considered congestive heart failure if the heart is getting enough blood in the first place. Congestive heart failure is the end result of any number of numerous heart conditions that impede the heart’s ability to pump blood. Therefore, it is a symptom of underlying disorders that require treatment.
The list of these associated disorders is long and some of them may be present without the patient’s knowledge. Some of the most common are high blood pressure, or high blood pressure, which forces the heart to pump against greater resistance to meet demand; ischemia, a condition resulting from coronary artery disease (CAD) in which the heart muscle receives insufficient oxygen and is damaged as a result; and valvular heart disease, in which some of the heart valves become narrowed or infected or leak blood pumped around the heart. Abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmia, as well as a heartbeat that is too slow or too fast, can reduce cardiac output. In individuals with an overactive thyroid gland or anemia, the heart works overtime to supply the body’s tissues with enough oxygen, and over time it can lead to congestive heart failure. In addition, any disease of the heart muscle itself, the surrounding pericardium, as well as birth defects of the heart can lead to congestive heart failure.
Because congestive heart failure results from any number of these problems, it typically develops over time. Symptoms include weakness or fatigue, shortness of breath, reduced stamina, fast heartbeat, and swelling of your ankles, legs, feet, or abdomen.
Congestive heart failure is almost always chronic; however, there are treatments available. The most common is medication. Categories of these drugs include ACE inhibitors that dilate blood vessels to improve blood flow, beta blockers to slow the heart, and diuretics to stop the body from retaining fluid. Some of the conditions that have led to congestive heart failure may require surgery, such as a coronary artery bypass graft to treat narrowed arteries. There are also implantable devices that can help. Mechanisms such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators or bioventricular pacemakers use electrical impulses to maintain a regular heartbeat. There are also mechanical heart pumps that can be implanted to help maintain healthy blood flow. Severe cases sometimes require heart transplants.
The best treatment, however, is prevention. Lifestyle factors that put stress on an individual’s heart include a diet excessive in salt and/or cholesterol, smoking, being overweight, or not taking prescribed medications. Addressing these risk factors early can prevent congestive heart failure completely.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
