#heartfailure
#heartproblem
#cardiaccare
#heartattak
#rightheart
#leftheartfailure
#congestiveheartfailure
Heart failure — sometimes known as congestive heart failure — occurs when the heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should. When this happens, blood often backs up and fluid can build up in the lungs, causing shortness of breath.
Certain heart conditions, such as narrowed arteries in the heart (coronary artery disease) or high blood pressure, gradually leave the heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump blood properly.
Proper treatment can improve the signs and symptoms of heart failure and may help some people live longer. Lifestyle changes — such as losing weight, exercising, reducing salt (sodium) in your diet and managing stress — can improve your quality of life. However, heart failure can be life-threatening. People with heart failure may have severe symptoms, and some may need a heart transplant or a ventricular assist device (VAD).
One way to prevent heart failure is to prevent and control conditions that can cause it, such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
Symptoms
A person with heart failure
Heart failureOpen pop-up dialog box
Heart failure can be ongoing (chronic), or it may start suddenly (acute).
Heart failure signs and symptoms may include:
Shortness of breath with activity or when lying down
Fatigue and weakness
Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Reduced ability to exercise
Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged mucus
Swelling of the belly area (abdomen)
Very rapid weight gain from fluid buildup
Nausea and lack of appetite
Difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness
Chest pain if heart failure is caused by a heart attack
Causes
Chambers and valves of the heart
Chambers and valves of the heartOpen pop-up dialog boxEnlarged heart, in heart failure
Enlarged heart, in heart failureOpen pop-up dialog box
Heart failure often develops after other conditions have damaged or weakened the heart. However, heart failure can also occur if the heart becomes too stiff.
In heart failure, the main pumping chambers of the heart (the ventricles) may become stiff and not fill properly between beats. In some people, the heart muscle may become damaged and weakened. The ventricles may stretch to the point that the heart can't pump enough blood through the body.
Over time, the heart can no longer keep up with the typical demands placed on it to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Your doctor can determine how well your heart is pumping by measuring how much blood is pumped out with each beat (ejection fraction). Ejection fraction is used to help classify heart failure and guide treatment. In a healthy heart, the ejection fraction is 50% or higher — meaning that more than half of the blood that fills the ventricle is pumped out with each beat.
But heart failure can occur even with a normal ejection fraction. This happens if the heart muscle becomes stiff from conditions such as high blood pressure.
Heart failure can involve the left side (left ventricle), right side (right ventricle) or both sides of your heart. Generally, heart failure begins with the left side, specifically the left ventricle — your heart's main pumping chamber.