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Congestive Heart Failure

Posted On : Aug-21-2010 | seen (690) times | Article Word Count : 514 |

Congestive heart failure is a condition where the heart is not able to provide enough blood to the body. It can be a weakened heart due to numerous heart attacks or old age. A disease of the heart called cardiomyopathy can also cause congestive heart failure. The symptoms of congestive heart failure vary because one side of the heart is usually affected before the other.
Congestive heart failure is a condition where the heart is not able to provide enough blood to the body. It can be a weakened heart due to numerous heart attacks or old age. A disease of the heart called cardiomyopathy can also cause congestive heart failure. The symptoms of congestive heart failure vary because one side of the heart is usually affected before the other. The blood may be thought of as following a continuous path around the body, and if obstruction to the onward flow occurs at any point, there will be congestion behind it, hence congestive heart failures. Congestive heart failure is in general, a secondary disease following another cardiac condition, primarily either coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, myocarditis, valvular disease, or cardiac arrhythmias,(irregular heart beat or skipped heart beat) with coronary artery disease carrying the poorest prognosis and little hope .

Heart disease causes congestive heart failure symptoms but there are also many other factors involved. The arteries around the heart that feed it of oxygen for it to work properly may be restricted or even totally blocked by plaque deposits in people with long term high cholesterol problems for example. Congestive heart failure can affect either the right side, left side or both sides of the heart. There are many diseases that can impair pumping efficiency and symptoms of congestive heart failure including fatigue, diminished exercise, shortness of breath, and swelling. Recovery from a heart attack is a lengthy process, usually lasting about three months. As happens with most wounds, during the healing process the heart will form scar tissue at the sight of the damage.

Heart failure can also result from damage or a structural change in one of the heart valves, which may have been caused by rheumatic fever or a bacterial infection and may lead to internal obstruction or to valvular leakage. With the blood not flowing the way it should, can also cause problems in other areas of the body, such as the kidneys. With a sluggish blood flow, the kidneys then are not able to eliminate the excess fluid like they are suppose to. The symptoms that are experienced by individuals that are suffering from this condition vary also. They may include a number of symptoms directly related to inadequate blood supply. In some cases organ damage can lead to other symptoms as well.

The main treatment for congestive heart failure patients would a change in lifestyle. The diet and even water intake should be adjusted. Sodium increases the retention of fluid in the body. With this increased risk of edema, sodium should be decreased to the minimum. Heart problems leading to congestive heart failure include congenital heart defects, cardiomyopathy (where the heart muscle dies), an arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat, diseases in the heart valves, anemia, or complications from other procedures. Congestive heart failure which arises due to the failure of the heart to pump blood with sufficient force so as to distribute it to the various organs, then return it back to the heart results in failure of the circulation.

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Keywords : heart failure, Congestive heart failure, heart disease, heart failure causes,

Category : Health and Fitness : Health and Fitness

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