Congestive Heart Failure Uncovered

Congestive heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart is unable to pump the necessary amount of blood throughout the body to other organs. It is estimated that this condition affects approximately five million Americans. The average length of survival after diagnosis is approximately three years for men and five years for women. This article will share with you everything you know about this dangerous condition.

Causes

Congestive heart failure can be caused by a number of conditions. People with a family history of CHF have an extremely high risk of being affected themselves. High blood pressure, cardiac fibrosis, hyperthyroidism, and old age are other conditions that can also lead to CHF.

There are also a number of lifestyle factors that play a role. Obesity, stress, smoking, and alcohol consumption can all lead to congestive heart failure. An overworked heart coupled with a lack of exercise can also be an issue.

Symptoms

People living with congestive heart failure show a variety of symptoms. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, swollen legs or ankles, and weight gain. Some with CHF experience a night cough, confusion, and memory impairment in advanced cases of the condition. Patients have also reported experiencing weakness, wheezing, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Treatment

Treating congestive heart failure focuses on relieving the signs and symptoms and preventing the condition from getting worse. Patients are normally advised to lose weight, reduce salt intake, and restrict the intake of fluids. Light physical activity is also recommended when symptoms are not severe. These lifestyle changes are usually in combination with medical treatments.

There are a variety of drugs used to treat congestive heart failure . The most common are beta blockers, diuretics, vasodilators, and digitalis. Medical devices such as pacemakers and defibrillator can also be used to relieve symptoms. If the heart failure is too severe, patients have only two options. They must either undergo a heart transplant or have an artificial heart implanted.