While the term "congestive heart failure" (also known as heart failure) may sound like the heart has stopped working, it actually means that the heart isn't pumping as well as it should.
Still, heart failure is a serious condition that is often the end stage or final outcome of many cardiovascular conditions.
The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that more than five million people in the United States have heart failure, and that half of those diagnosed die within five years.
While there's no cure for heart failure, medications and healthy lifestyle changes can help manage the condition and allow people to maintain a good quality of life.
Congestive heart failure occurs when there's a reduction in blood flow to the body and a backup (congestion) of blood into the lungs, liver, abdomen, and lower extremities.
However, not all heart failure is congestive: A person might have shortness of breath or weakness due to heart failure and not have any fluid building up.
During heart failure, the body tries to compensate for reduced blood flow in other ways by:
These compensations may mask heart failure temporarily, but eventually heart failure gets worse, and people start to experience fatigue, breathing problems, and other symptoms.
This may explain why it takes some people years to realize that they have heart failure.
The heart's left side, right side, or both sides can be affected during heart failure. However, the left side is usually affected first.
Left-sided heart failure: The left ventricle is larger than the other chambers and essential for normal function because it provides most of the heart's pumping power.
In left-sided (also called left ventricular) heart failure, the left side of the heart must work harder to pump the same amount of blood.
There are two types of left-sided heart failure:
Right-sided heart failure: Right-sided (also called right ventricular) heart failure usually occurs because of left-sided failure.
When the left ventricle fails, increased fluid pressure is transferred back through the lungs causing damage to the heart's right side.
When the right side loses pumping power, blood backs up in the body's veins causing swelling or congestion in the legs, ankles, gastrointestinal tract, and liver.
The following conditions can cause heart failure, yet many people aren't aware that they have them:
Having any of the following conditions can increase your risk for heart failure:
Your life expectancy after heart failure depends on the cause of your condition, as well as other factors, including age.
However, the AHA reports that about half of people who develop heart failure die within five years of diagnosis.
Sources:
People may experience different symptoms of congestive heart failure depending on how much of the heart's pumping capacity has been affected.
The following are the most common symptoms:
Since the symptoms of heart failure may indicate other conditions, be sure to contact your doctor immediately if you experience any.
To determine if you have heart failure, your doctor will take your complete medical history and conduct a physical examination.
He or she may also perform the following diagnostic procedures:
Blood Tests: By taking a blood sample, your doctor can have your kidney, liver, and thyroid function checked for indicators of other diseases that affect the heart or are affected by the function of the heart.
Your doctor may perform a blood test that checks for a chemical called N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) to help in diagnosing heart failure.
Chest X-ray: A chest X-ray can produce pictures of your internal tissues, bones, and organs so that your doctor can rule out conditions other than heart failure that may explain your symptoms.
If you have heart failure, X-ray results may show an enlarged heart and fluid buildup in your lungs.
Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart. This test helps your doctor see the shape of your heart and how well it's pumping.
Heart chamber size and function, as well as valve structure, can all be detected by an echocardiogram.
An echocardiogram can also distinguish systolic heart failure from diastolic heart failure, and help your doctor look for valve problems or evidence of previous heart attacks, and other heart abnormalities that may be causing heart failure.
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): During an electrocardiogram, wires are taped to your body to create a graph of your heart's electrical rhythm.
An EKG allows your doctor to diagnose heart rhythm problems and damage to your heart from a previous heart attack that may be the cause of your heart failure.
Stress Test: This test is used to measure how your heart and blood vessels respond to exertion, detect if you have coronary artery disease, and determine how well your body is responding to your heart's decreased capacity to pump.
There are several ways to perform a stress test, including the following:
Your doctor may also order a nuclear stress test or a stress echocardiogram that allows him or her to see images of your heart while you're exercising.
Radionuclide Ventriculography or Radionuclide Angiography (MUGA Scan): During this test, radioactive substances called radionuclides are injected into your bloodstream with a shot or an IV.
You are then placed under a gamma camera which captures images of your heart as it beats.
This test allows your doctor to see how well your heart muscle is supplied with blood, how well your heart's chambers are working, and whether part of the heart has been damaged by heart attack.
Sources:
The goal of heart failure treatment is to address the underlying causes of the condition in order to reduce symptoms and improve health.
Treatments may include the following:
The following medications may help prolong your life after a diagnosis of heart failure:
Additionally, the following drugs can help reduce the symptoms caused by heart failure:
While surgery isn't often used to treat heart failure, it may be recommended if your condition can't be helped with medications or dietary and lifestyle changes or if your doctor believes the cause of your heart failure can be fixed with surgery.
This may include problems caused by a malformed heart valve or a blocked coronary artery.
In these cases, the following surgeries may be recommended.
Angioplasty (also called Percutaneous coronary intervention) Angioplasty is performed to reopen blocked vessels.
During the procedure, a catheter with a small balloon-like device is threaded through a vein and opened once it reaches the clogged artery.
Then a small wire tube (called a stent) is placed into the artery to keep it open.
There is a slight risk of damage to the artery during this procedure, but angioplasty usually improves the condition.
Coronary artery bypass: During this surgery, your blood supply is rerouted around a blocked section of the artery.
Surgeons remove healthy blood vessels from another part of your body, such as a leg or the chest wall and then attach the vessels to your diseased artery so the blood can flow around the blocked section.
Heart transplant: For people with severe heart failure that can't be helped by medications or dietary and lifestyle changes, a heart transplant may be the only treatment option.
During a heart transplant, the surgeon connects you to a heart-lung machine, which takes over the functions of the heart and lungs while the damaged heart is replaced with a healthy one taken from a donor.
Then the major blood vessels are reconnected and the new heart begins working.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), about 90 percent of people live for more than a year after receiving a heart transplant.
However, it can take several months to find a donor heart that is a good match. In fact, the AHA reports that only around 2,500 people receive a transplant each year.
Implanted Devices: The following devices can help improve heart function for some people with heart failure.
The following lifestyle habits can help relieve symptoms of heart failure and keep the condition from getting worse:
Sources:
Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com
We respect your privacy and aim for the best website experience in compliance with local laws. Allowing cookies enables a tailored experience, while disabling them may reduce personalization. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.