CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE (CHF) OR HEART FAILURE IS A
CONDITION IN WHICH THE HEART CANNOT PUMP ENOUGH
BLOOD TO THE BODY’S OTHER ORGANS. THIS CAUSES A
BUILDUP OF FLUID, CALLED CONGESTION, IN YOUR LUNGS
AND OTHER BODY TISSUES.
CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE USUALLY DEVELOPS SLOWLY.
YEARS CAN GO BY WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS, HOWEVER,
SYMPTOMS TEND TO WORSEN WITH TIME. THE SLOW ONSET
AND PROGRESSION OF CHF IS CAUSED BY THE HEART’S
EFFORTS TO DEAL WITH THE GRADUAL WEAKENING. YOUR
HEART TRIES TO MAKE UP FOR THIS WEAKENING BY
ENLARGING AND FORCING ITSELF TO PUMP FASTER TO MOVE
MORE BLOOD THROUGH THE BODY.
CHF WAS ONCE AN ALMOST UNTREATABLE DISORDER, BUT
TODAY THERE ARE MANY IMPORTANT AND EFFECTIVE
MEASURES THAT HELP TO IMPROVE THE SYMPTOMS AND
SURVIVAL OF CHF PATIENTS.
RISK FACTORS:
A) PREVIOUS HEART ATTACKS
B) CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD)
C) HYPERTENTION (HTN)
D) IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT (ARRYTHMIA)
E) HEART VALVE DISEASE
F) CARDIOMYOPATHY (DISEASE OF THE HEART MUSCLE)
G) CONGENITAL HEART DEFFECTS (DEFECTS YOU WERE
BORN WITH)
H) ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE
