What are the other Names for this Condition? (Also known as/Synonyms)

• Congestive Cardiac Failure

What is Congestive Heart Failure? (Definition/Background Information)

• Congestive Heart Failure is a condition that denotes the inability of heart to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Typically, it occurs in adults aged 65 years and over
• Any heart condition (such as coronary heart disease or high blood pressure) that progressively damages the heart muscle can cause a Congestive Heart Failure. The risk factors include increasing age, obesity, thyroid disorders, and a history of previous heart attack(s)
• Congestive Heart Failure can result in shortness of breath, weight gain due to fluid buildup in the body, fatigue and tiredness. If left untreated, it may lead to complications that include kidney failure, liver damage, and heart valve damage
• The diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure might necessitate a thorough physical evaluation by a healthcare provider, various blood tests, and a few specialized tests to evaluate heart functioning
• Apart from medications, the treatment for this type of heart condition includes bringing about certain lifestyle changes. The individual is typically advised to lose weight, eat right, be physically active, and avoid smoking and alcohol consumption
• Keeping active, managing one’s weight within a healthy range, and taking treatment for underlying conditions that could potentially lead to Congestive Heart Failure are some effective ways of preventing the condition
• Recent advances in medicine have greatly improved the prognosis of heart failure. Patients are reported to respond well to current treatment modalities and are able to better lead a normal life

Who gets Congestive Heart Failure? (Age and Sex Distribution)

• Congestive Heart Failure is common in individuals aged 65 years or older
• In general, men have a higher rate of heart failure than women
• Individuals of African-American descent are reported to be more at risk for this condition than other races and ethnic groups

What are the Risk Factors for Congestive Heart Failure? (Predisposing Factors)

Some risk factors of Congestive Heart Failure include:

• Advancing age: Aging can weaken the heart muscle
• Male gender
• Racial predilection: African-Americans are generally at a higher risk than other races
• Obesity: Excess weight puts strain on the heart and being overweight increases the risk of heart disease and type II diabetes
• Medical history; individuals with previous heart attack(s)
• Cancer treatment that include radiation therapy and chemotherapy
• Abnormal thyroid hormone levels; higher or lower thyroid hormone levels in the body is a risk factor
• HIV infection or AIDS
• Excess vitamin E

It is important to note that having a risk factor does not mean that one will get the condition. A risk factor increases ones chances of getting a condition compared to an individual without the risk factors. Some risk factors are more important than others.

Also, not having a risk factor does not mean that an individual will not get the condition. It is always important to discuss the effect of risk factors with your healthcare provider.

What are the Causes of Congestive Heart Failure? (Etiology)

The chief causes of Congestive Heart Failure are conditions that progressively damage or burden the heart muscle. Over time, the heart muscle weakens which decreases the ability of heart to pump sufficient blood to meet the body’s requirement.

Some underlying conditions that could lead to Congestive Heart Failure include:

• Coronary artery disease: Clot formation with resultant damage to the coronary vessels
• High blood pressure: For healthy people, blood pressure above 140/90 is considered high
• Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease)
• Heart valvular diseases
• Arrhythmias causing irregular heartbeat
• Congenital heart defects

What are the Sign and Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure?

The common signs and symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen, and veins in the neck
• Weight gain due to fluid buildup

How is Congestive Heart Failure Diagnosed?

For an accurate diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure, a healthcare professional might need information from the following tests and exams:

• Complete evaluation of medical history, along with a thorough physical examination (with special emphasis to signs such as abnormal heart sounds, fluid buildup in lungs, swelling of the ankles, feet)
• Electrocardiogram or EKG that is used to measure the electrical activity of the heart. This gives information regarding the heart rate, strength of contraction, and condition of the walls of the heart
• Chest x-ray: It is taken to visualize the inside of the chest including the heart, lung, and blood vessels. This imaging tool can show whether the heart is enlarged, or if there is fluid buildup in the lungs
• Blood test to check the level of a hormone called brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)
• Echocardiography: This procedure uses sound waves to create a motion picture of the heart movement. It can help show the size and shape of the heart and how well the chambers and valves are working
• Doppler ultrasound: Sound waves are used to measure the speed and direction of blood flow
• Holter monitor: It is used to record the electrical activity of the heart for a complete 24-hour or 48-hour period, even as the individual goes about his/her normal routine
• Nuclear heart scan: This procedure can help show how well blood is flowing through the heart and how much blood is reaching the heart muscles
• Cardiac catheterization: This procedure allows a view of the coronary arteries, to check the pressure and blood flow in the heart chambers
• Coronary angiography: A dye that can be seen on an x-ray is used that allows the healthcare professional to see the flow of blood through the heart muscles. This angiographic procedure also shows how well the heart is pumping
• Stress test: The heart is monitored while an individual is walking on a treadmill or a pedal bicycle
• Cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses radio waves, a magnetic field, and a computer screen to create pictures of the heart when it is beating

Many clinical conditions may have similar signs and symptoms. Your healthcare provider may perform additional tests to rule out other clinical conditions to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.

What are the possible Complications of Congestive Heart Failure?

Some potential complications of Congestive Heart Failure include:

• Kidney damage and kidney failure: Heart failure causes reduced blood flow to many organs including the kidneys, which greatly affects normal kidney functioning and eventually leads to its failure
• Heart valve damage: Fluid buildup in the body causes overstretching of the heart valves due to excess pressure. This causes heart valve dilatation, which in turn results in regurgitation of blood flow in the valve
• Liver damage: Heart failure can lead to a buildup of fluid that can put excess pressure on the liver. This fluid buildup can lead to liver scarring and liver damage
• Heart attack and stroke: In comparison to a healthy heart, the blood flow is slower in a heart with Congestive Heart Failure, making it more likely to develop blood clots. These clots can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke in the affected individual

How is Congestive Heart Failure Treated?

Congestive Heart Failure may be effectively treated through the following measures:

• Lifestyle changes including:
  • Exercise to maintain or stay within a normal body mass index (BMI) range
  • Reducing salt in the diet
  • Better stress management
  • Smoking cessation
  • Avoiding or reducing alcohol consumption
• Diet: Adhering to a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, low fat dairy products, whole grains, lean meats, eggs, poultry without skin, seafood, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, and such other foods
• Medications that may include:
  • Water pills (diuretics) help reduce fluid buildup in the lungs and swelling of feet and ankles
  • ACE inhibitor class of drugs to reduce blood pressure and the risk of a future heart failure
  • Aldosterone antagonists can help trigger the body to get rid of excess salt and water in urine. Angiotensin receptor blockers relax the blood vessels and consequently, reduce blood pressure
  • Beta blockers are reported to slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure, and decrease heart’s workload
  • Vasodilator drugs help relax the blood vessels; this drug has helped reduce the risk of death in African Americans from Congestive Heart Failure and its associated complications
  • Digoxin, which makes the heart to beat stronger and pump more blood
• Severe heart failure may require cardiac resynchronization (CRT) device or an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) to correct irregular heartbeats associated with heart failure
• When heart failure occurs, the synchronism between the right and left sides of the heart may be lost, resulting in the two sides not contracting together. A CRT device, a type of pacemaker, may be implanted in such cases to correct the defect
• A mechanical heart pump may be needed to pump blood from the poorly-functioning heart to the rest of the body
• Heart transplantation, where an individual’s diseased heart is replaced with a healthy heart from a deceased donor, may also be an option in cases of severe heart failure

How can Congestive Heart Failure be Prevented?

In general, Congestive Heart Failure may be prevented by:

• Following a healthy diet
• Quitting smoking, alcohol, or illegal drug use
• Losing weight, if one is obese or overweight
• Being more physically active and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle

What is the Prognosis of Congestive Heart Failure? (Outcomes/Resolutions)

• The prognosis for individuals with Congestive Heart Failure has been steadily improving with recent advances in medicine and appropriate treatment of the condition
• A majority of patients respond well to current treatment modalities and are able to live a normal life, when they follow a healthy lifestyle and take medications regularly, as prescribed by the physician

Additional and Relevant Useful Information for Congestive Heart Failure:

Chronic heart failure is a long-term, repeated cardiovascular condition in which the heart is unable to pump adequate amounts of blood to support body functions.

The following link will help you understand chronic heart failure:

http://www.dovemed.com/diseases-conditions/chronic-heart-failure/