Anyone with congestive heart failure faces a lack of adequate blood supply by the heart muscle. Heart failure is a serious matter of immediate medical concern. The number of cases of heart failure are abruptly rising as the patients are unaware of its occurrence and details of what can be done in such a condition.
What is Congestive Heart Failure
Heart failure or congestive heart failure leads to loss of adequacy of the heart muscle to function in the pumping of blood to the heart. This insufficiency of oxygen-rich blood to reach the heart and to the other parts of the body may lead to serious complications. Though, this does not cause the heart to stop beating rather the improper functioning of the heart can give long-term complications.
Types of Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure can be classified as right heart failure, left heart failure, or both sides affected at the same time. The type of congestive heart failure are given below
- 1. Acute heart failure
- 2. Chronic heart failure
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Causes of Congestive Heart Failure
- 1. Congenital heart disease
- 2. Coronary artery disease
- 3. Heart failure
- 4. Cardiomyopathy
- 5. An overactive or underactive thyroid
- 6. Irregular heart rhythms
- 7. Heart valve disease
- 8. High blood pressure
- 9. Emphysema
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How is it Formed
Congestive heart failure develops when the heart muscle stops pumping the blood as its main function is to provide blood. So, blood reverses back and makes the fluid build up in the lungs. It starts with shortness of breath and it results in heart failure of the person.
Symptoms
- 1. Fatigue problem
- 2. Shortness of breath
- 3. Heart rhythm problems
- 4. Fluid build-up
- 5. Rapid heartbeat
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Other symptoms include
- 1. Dizziness
- 2. Loss of appetite
- 3. Inability to exercise
- 4. Chest pain
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Diagnosis
- 1. Blood test
- 2. Chest X-ray
- 3. Echocardiogram
- 4. Cardiac computerised tomography
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Other tests include
- 1. Magnetic resonance imaging
- 2. Stress test
- 3. Electrocardiogram
- 4. Coronary angiogram
- 5. Myocardial biopsy
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Do’s
- 1. Immediately take heart failure surgery as recommended
- 2. Mountain a balanced weight
- 3. Control blood pressure
- 4. Control diabetes
- 5. Exercise regularly
- 6. Stay active and hydrated
- 7. Control cholesterol levels
- 8. Have a regular body check-up
- 9. Prevent respiratory infections.
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Don’ts
- 1. Don’t drink alcohol
- 2. Don’t smoke
- 3. Don’t ignore the symptoms
- 4. Don’t delay consultation or treatment
- 5. Don’t stress
- 6. Don’t miss any medication dosage
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Treatments
Congestive heart failure, if just for prevention. The treatments can be followed as self-care or medications. Whereas if the condition has become much more severe surgery needs to be performed to save the life of an individual.
Non Surgical Treatment
Self-care
- 1. Eat healthy foods
- 2. In the case of current medications take your dosage properly
- 3. Have a healthy and balanced body weight
- 4. Avoid salt
- 5. Avoid caffeine intake
- 6. Quit smoking
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Medications It is to note, any medicine that is used needs to be prescribed by the concerned doctor. The medications usually prescribed are diuretics, ACE inhibitors, Anticoagulants or antiplatelets, Vasodilators, beta-blockers, and Aldosterone inhibitors.
Surgical Treatments
The aim of the surgical procedure for congestive heart failure is to replace the heart valves and bypass or restore the blocked arteries. The following listed surgical procedures are purposefully used according to the requirement.
Biventricular pacing therapy Mainly helps both sides of the heart to function properly.
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator Works by easily converting a fast rhythm to a normal one.
Ventricular assist devices Simply function as a bridge to heart transplantation.
In such severe and life-threatening conditions, it is much more advisable to reach out for medical support and get your surgery as prescribed.
Risks and Complications
- 1. Diabetes
- 2. Heart attack
- 3. Coronary artery disease
- 4. Obesity
- 5. Irregular heartbeats
- 6. High blood pressure
- 7. Heart valve disease
- 8. Congenital heart disease
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Other risks factors are
- 1. Age
- 2. Smoking
- 3. Alcohol abuse
- 4. Sleep apnea
- 5. Family history
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Complications associated with congestive heart failure
- 1. Kidney damage
- 2. Kidney failure
- 3. Liver damage risk
- 4. Heart rhythm problems
- 5. Heart valve problems
- 6. Breathing problems
- 7. Malnutrition
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If Left Untreated
If heart failure is left untreated it can ultimately lead to heart failure, kidney damage, kidney failure or other organs may get damaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main cause of congestive heart failure?
Coronary artery disease is one of the most common causes or reasons for congestive heart disease to appear. Under this, fatty deposits build up in the arteries and result in the reduction of proper blood flow.
What are the four signs of congestive heart failure?
Four major signs of congestive heart failure are breathlessness, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, and heart rhythm problems.
What is the difference between heart failure and congestive heart failure?
Heart failure is the inability of the heart to pump blood properly. Whereas, congestive heart failure is the building up of fluid and immediate medical assistance is required in this case.
Can congestive heart be cured?
Congestive heart failure may be cured. Many treatments ranging from self-care, medications, and spherical procedures can be done. If taken immediately, it can be cured.
Can you recover from congestive heart failure?
By following these tips recovery from congestive heart failure can happen.
- 1. Do regular exercise
- 2. Have a healthy and balanced diet
- 3. Take no stress
- 4. Improve your lifestyle such as your sleep cycle
- 5. Be aware of your family history
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How do doctors treat congestive heart failure?
Doctors take support of effective medications or surgical procedures to treat congestive heart failure. Therefore, in case of heart failure, immediately contact your doctor for assistance and medical support.
What are the 2 types of congestive heart failure?
The two main types of congestive heart failure are
- 1. Acute heart failure
- 2. Chronic heart failure
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What is the best medicine for congestive heart failure?
Some of the medications often prescribed for congestive heart failure include diuretics, ACE inhibitors, Anticoagulants or antiplatelets, Vasodilators, ta-blockers, and Aldosterone inhibitors.
How long can you live with a congestive heart?
Living with congestive heart failure can be quite challenging and generally the time frame of a person with congestive heart failure can be around a year, but with absolute care and medications the condition can be put under control.
Can ECG detect heart failure?
ECG is a diagnostic test done for various medical purposes. Congestive heart failure, helps the doctor to track the electrical activity of the heart and check for any existing medical problems.
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