Congestive Heart Failure
Heart Failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood into the body. Congestive heart failure is one of the most common forms of heart disease found in older adults. Though most people can live with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) for a long period of time, depending on the underlying cause and the treatment, heart failure is a serious medical condition.
There are three types of congestive heart failure:
Systolic Dysfunctionoccurs when the left ventricle of the heart does not contract well and the heart fails to pump enough to get blood into circulation. A build up of fluids can then occur in the lung, abdomen and ankles. Systolic dysfunction is seen commonly in people with a history of heart attacks.
Diastolic Dysfunction occurs when the ventricle becomes thick and does not relax well. Unlike systolic heart failure where the heart is unable to pump blood out, diastolic heart failure results when the heart cannot relax enough to fill up with blood. This is seen commonly in people with long standing high blood pressure that was not treated aggressively.
Valvular Dysfunction results when the valves of the heart stop working properly. The heart has four valves which connect the four chambers, sometimes these valves become defective from disease such as rheumatic fever. A defective valve can lead to Congestive Heart Failure. This is seen most commonly in the aortic and mitral valves.
There are four chambers in the heart:
- Left Atrium
- Left Ventricle
- Right Atrium
- Right Ventricle
The left atrium is connected to the left ventricle via the mitral valve; the right atrium and the right ventricle are connected via the tricuspid valve. The aortic valve connects the aorta to the left ventricle. A defect in the function of the left ventricle (systolic heart failure) is the major cause of heart failure.
Reducing the risk of diseases associated with heart failure, such as hypertension, can also reduce the likelihood of congestive heart failure. Conditions that can place you at risk of heart failure include:
- Heart Attacks
- Uncontrolled Hypertension
- Stenosis of aortic valve
- Unmanaged Thyroid disease
- Medications
- Viral Infections
Heart failure is a serious and life threatening condition. Not taking care of yourself is almost certain to worsen your condition. However, your chances of living into old age, even after heart failure, can be improved. People with heart failure should:
- See their primary care provider regularly and closely follow instructions,
- Take medications as prescribed,
- Notify their primary care provider immediately of any changes in their condition (e.g. rapid weight gain, shortness of breath or swollen feet),
- Watch their weight and eat a low-fat, low-cholestorol diet,
- Quit smoking, and
- Limit their alcohol intake.
Like most diseases, older adults tend to have different symptoms of heart failure than their younger counterparts. The classic symptoms of heart failure are shortness of breath, inability to lie flat, and swelling in the ankles. Because of the fluid build up that occurs during heart failure, an unusually quick weight gain may also be symptomatic of heart failure. Older adults may lose their appetite or feel confusion and weakness.
Diagnosis & treatment of heart failure
There are a variety of ways that health professionals diagnose congestive heart failure. shortness of breath, swollen feet and ankles and fatigue are some of the common indications. with a stethoscope, your primary care provider can hear abnormal heart sounds. there are also several tests that can confirm heart failure including an electrocardiogram, which records the heartbeat. Echocardiography determines how well the heart is functioning through sound waves of the heart's activities. a chest x-ray can confirm the presence of fluid in the lungs and it also reveals the size of the heart. There are many drugs that are available for the treatment of heart failure. Your drug treatment will depend upon what type of heart failure you have. Some common medications include lasix and nitroglycerin; a group of medications called ACE inhibitors can prolong life for people with Congestive Heart Failure.
Author: Joseph James, M.D.
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Last Review: Monday, August 25, 2008
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