CHF
Kate Marsh
04 April 2014
Congestive Heart Failure Heart failure affects almost 6 million Americans. About 670,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure each year. It is also the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65. Congestive heart failure means that the heart is still pumping blood, but at a slower rate than normal, so the pressure in the heart starts to increase as a result. This slower heart rate causes the heart to be unable to pump enough blood to provide the rest of the body with the amount of nutrients and oxygen that it needs. As the pressure increases in the heart, the chambers stretch to hold more blood, or they become stiff and thickened. This compensation mechanism works, but eventually the myocardium (muscle layer of the heart), will weaken and the heart will decrease in its efficiency to pump blood. This results in a reduction of blood supply to the kidneys, which then begin to lose their ability to excrete salt and water. This lessened function of the kidney causes the body to retain more fluid. The fluid build-up then leads to edema or congestion of tissues, hence the name congestive heart failure. Causes of congestive heart failure could be coronary artery disease (CAD), which is when the arteries that supply the heart with oxygen and blood, become blocked or narrowed. Other causes include previous heart attack due to the tissue scarring, or cardiomyopathy which is damage to the heart muscle (myocardium). Cardiomyopathy is caused by problems other than decreased blood flow. These causes include infections, alcohol, or drug use. Other factors that can contribute to congestive heart failure are hypertension (high blood pressure), valve disease, thyroid disease, kidney disease, diabetes, or congenital heart defects. Symptoms that may present themselves when dealing with congestive heart failure consist of fatigue, edema (usually in gravity dependent areas like the legs), fluid build-up in the lungs, increase in urination
04 April 2014
Congestive Heart Failure Heart failure affects almost 6 million Americans. About 670,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure each year. It is also the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65. Congestive heart failure means that the heart is still pumping blood, but at a slower rate than normal, so the pressure in the heart starts to increase as a result. This slower heart rate causes the heart to be unable to pump enough blood to provide the rest of the body with the amount of nutrients and oxygen that it needs. As the pressure increases in the heart, the chambers stretch to hold more blood, or they become stiff and thickened. This compensation mechanism works, but eventually the myocardium (muscle layer of the heart), will weaken and the heart will decrease in its efficiency to pump blood. This results in a reduction of blood supply to the kidneys, which then begin to lose their ability to excrete salt and water. This lessened function of the kidney causes the body to retain more fluid. The fluid build-up then leads to edema or congestion of tissues, hence the name congestive heart failure. Causes of congestive heart failure could be coronary artery disease (CAD), which is when the arteries that supply the heart with oxygen and blood, become blocked or narrowed. Other causes include previous heart attack due to the tissue scarring, or cardiomyopathy which is damage to the heart muscle (myocardium). Cardiomyopathy is caused by problems other than decreased blood flow. These causes include infections, alcohol, or drug use. Other factors that can contribute to congestive heart failure are hypertension (high blood pressure), valve disease, thyroid disease, kidney disease, diabetes, or congenital heart defects. Symptoms that may present themselves when dealing with congestive heart failure consist of fatigue, edema (usually in gravity dependent areas like the legs), fluid build-up in the lungs, increase in urination
Cited: Medicine Net http://www.onhealth.com/congestive_heart_failure/article.htm#congestive_heart_failure_facts Web MD http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide-heart-failure