The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood through the circulatory system through growth and contraction. Any condition that affects the heart or its function leads to heart disease. Medically heart disease is called cardiovascular disease.
Heart failure is a condition that occurs when your heart does not pump enough blood according to your body’s needs. This can happen if your heart can not be filled with enough blood. It is also possible when your heart is too weak to pump properly. The word “heart failure” does not mean that your heart has stopped.
CHF stands for Congestive Heart Failure. CHF is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood properly so the body’s blood supply is affected. The body cannot get the amount of blood it needs.
The heart is a four-chambered organ divided by two atria at the top and two ventricles at the bottom. The atria receive blood from different parts of the body as part of the circulation and the ventricles are responsible for pumping oxygenated blood into the body as it reaches the organs and tissues. During CHF, normal circulation is affected and the body fails to receive the required amount of blood because blood and other body fluids begin to fill up around other organs.
As the left side of the heart (oxygenated blood moves from the lungs to the left atrium and then to the left ventricle and is transfused throughout the body) undergoes an additional pumping function, heart failure is said to be similar to the left. – heart failure on the sides. Of course:
Systolic Heart Failure: This occurs when the left ventricles do not reach normally thus failing to push the blood to circulate properly. The heart cannot function normally when the force is not right.
Diastolic Heart Failure: This occurs when the muscles in the left ventricle tighten. The heartbeat includes strength and rest. As the ventricle fails to relax, blood cannot be pumped properly.
The problem starts in the left side of the heart and if left untreated the disease progresses to the right side of the heart.
The doctor will take a complete medical history – any past history of diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, chest pain, a heart attack will be carefully monitored. The patient’s surgical history in the past is also considered. This is followed by a physical examination in which the doctor will use a stethoscope to make sure there are no abnormalities in the chest. Physical examination of any signs of congestion, vascular testing, and any accumulation of fluid in the abdominal area is thoroughly evaluated. Once the medical examination has been completed the patient underwent several tests to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment includes ACE inhibitors to open the arteries, beta-blockers used to lower blood pressure, diuretics are recommended to reduce body fluids leading to excess fluid loss. The surgical aspect includes Angioplasty to open the obstruction of the coronary arteries.
Life expectancy with CHF depends on factors such as size, age, gender, and genetics.
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, either because it is too weak or cannot fill with enough blood. Unlike a heart attack, which happens due to blocked blood flow to the heart muscle, heart failure is a chronic condition where the heart does not function effectively over time.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart cannot pump blood effectively to meet the body’s needs. This happens when the heart is either unable to fill with enough blood or too weak to pump blood properly. As a result, blood and fluids accumulate in various parts of the body, including the lungs, leading to symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue. CHF often affects the left side of the heart initially and can progress to involve the right side if untreated.
The primary causes of CHF include high blood pressure (hypertension), coronary artery disease, heart valve disorders, diabetes, thyroid conditions, and excessive alcohol consumption. Hypertension narrows the arteries, increasing resistance to blood flow. Coronary artery disease results from cholesterol deposits that block normal blood flow, while damaged heart valves impair proper blood circulation. These conditions collectively strain the heart and can lead to CHF.
Diagnosing CHF involves a combination of medical history, physical examinations, and diagnostic tests. Doctors review the patient’s history of conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart attacks. Physical examinations focus on detecting fluid accumulation or abnormal heart sounds using a stethoscope. Diagnostic tests include blood tests, chest X-rays, CT scans, electrocardiograms (ECG), treadmill stress tests, angiograms, and myocardial biopsies to identify the root cause and severity of CHF.