Congestive Heart Failure

Heart failure also known as congestive heart failure  means your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. There are a number of underlying heart conditions that can lead to heart failure. Certain heart conditions such as coronary artery disease or high blood pressure overtime can put a strain on your heart causing it to lose strength making it too weak or too stiff to fill and pump efficiently.

There are medications that can improve the signs and symptoms of chronic heart failure and lead to improved survival. Lifestyle changes, such as exercising, reducing salt intake, managing stress, treating depression, and especially losing excess weight, also can help prevent fluid buildup and improve your quality of life.

Your best defense against heart failure is to prevent or control risk factors and aggressively manage any underlying conditions such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or obesity.

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of chronic heart failure can include:

• Fatigue, weakness or faintness
• Shortness of breath with activity or when you lie down
• Reduced ability to exercise
• Pronounced neck veins
• Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm
• Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet
• Swelling of the abdomen
• Sudden weight gain from fluid retention
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea or vomiting
• Difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness
• Irregular or rapid heartbeat, palpitations
• Cough
• Decreased urine production
• Need to urinate at night
• Difficulty sleeping

Risk factors

A single risk factor may be enough to cause heart failure, but a combination of factors dramatically increases the risk.

Risk factors include:

• High blood pressure. Your heart works harder than it has to if your blood pressure is high.
   
• Coronary artery disease. Narrowed arteries may limit your heart's supply of oxygen-rich blood, resulting in weakened heart muscle.
   
• Heart attack. Damage to your heart from a heart attack may mean your heart can no longer pump as well as it should.
   
• Irregular heartbeats. These abnormal rhythms can create extra work for your heart, weakening the heart muscle.
   
• Diabetes. Having diabetes increases your risk of high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
   
• Sleep apnea. The inability to breathe properly at night results in low blood oxygen levels and increased risk of abnormal heart rhythms. Both of these problems can weaken the heart.
   
• Congenital heart defects. Some people who develop heart failure were born with structural heart defects.
   
• Viruses. A viral infection may have damaged your heart muscle.
   
• Alcohol use. Alcohol can weaken heart muscle and lead to heart failure.
   
• Kidney conditions. These can contribute to heart failure because many can lead to high blood pressure and fluid retention.

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Treatment for Heart Failure

Heart failure is a chronic disease needing lifelong management. However, with treatment, a failing heart can become stronger and signs and symptoms of heart failure can improve. Doctors sometimes can correct heart failure by treating the underlying cause. For example, repairing a heart valve or controlling a fast heart rhythm may reverse heart failure. But for most people, the treatment of heart failure involves a balance of the right medications, and in some cases, devices that help the heart beat properly.

For more information and a list of medications visit the MayoClinic website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-failure/DS00061/DSECTION=8

Prevention

Follow your health care provider's recommendations for treatment of conditions that may cause congestive heart failure. These recommendations may include:

• Treat your high blood pressure with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
   
• Treat your high cholesterol with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
   
• DO NOT smoke
   
• Avoid alcohol use
   
• Take an ACE inhibitor if you have heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
   
• Treat arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and keep your heart rate under control.
   
• Treat an underlying thyroid disorder.
   

Also, consider the following lifestyle habits, especially if you have a strong family history of CHF:

• Reduce salt intake.
• Exercise

Heart Failure Resources

American Heart Association

Heart Failure Society of America

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute