Heart Failure
Information on heart failure such as what is heart failure, what causes heart failure, the signs and symptoms of heart failure and the risk factors for heart failure.
Heart failure is very serious. About five million people (and growing) in the United States have heart failure. Each year, 300,000 deaths are contributed to heart failure and 550,000 people are diagnosed for the first time. Other names for heart failure are congestive heart failure (CHF), lefts-sided heart failure, right-sided heart failure, systolic heart failure and diastolic heart failure.
What is heart failure?
Heart failure is when the heart is not able to pump blood the way that it should to fill the heart with enough blood or pump enough blood through the body or both. It does not mean that the heart has stopped or is about to stop. This develops over time as the heart pumping action gets weaker. It can affect either the left, right or both sides. Generally the left side is the problem. When this occurs the heart can not pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. When the right side is the problem the heart can not effectively pump blood to the lungs (where it picks up oxygen). The weakening on the pumping ability of the heart causes blood and fluid to back up into the lungs, buildup of fluid in the feet, ankles and legs, and tiredness and shortness of breath.
What causes heart failure?
Heart failure is caused by other diseases and conditions that damage the heart. As the heart muscle weakens it is not able to pump blood as well as it should.
The following are causes or conditions that can lead to heart failure:
Leading causes:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Angina
- Heart attacks
Additional Causes:
- Cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle)
- Diseases of the heart valves
- Abnormal heartbeats or arrhythmias
- Congenital heart disease (heart defect/problem at birth)
- Cancer treatments (radiation or some chemotherapy drugs)
- Thyroid disorders (too little or too much hormone)
- Alcohol abuse
- HIV/AIDS
- Cocaine and other illegal drugs
Signs and Symptoms
Common symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Feeling tired
Shortness of breath and feeling tired are caused by the fluid buildup in and around the lungs. As the heart failure progresses the symptoms get worse.
Symptoms can range from occurring after routine physical exertion and progress to simple activities such as getting dressed or walking across the room. Some people have shortness of breath when lying flat. Fluid buildup can also cause a cough. This is generally worse at night when lying down. Excessive fluid in the lungs can cause acute pulmonary edema which is life-threatening and requires emergency treatment.
- Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs and sometimes abdomen
- Swelling is caused by fluid buildup in the body. Signs of this occurring are weight gain and frequent urination.
Risk Factors
Heart failure can happen to anyone, but it is more common in:
People 65 and older - Heart failure is the number one reason for a hospital visit.
African Americans - Black populations are more likely to have heart failure and to suffer more severely from it. They are more likely to: ?Ģ Develop symptoms at an earlier age ?Ģ Have the disease gets worse faster ?Ģ Have more hospital visits ?Ģ Die from heart failure. Men - Men have a higher rate than women, but more actual numbers are women because more women live into their 70s and 80s when heart failure is common.
Children with congenital heart disease - Congenital heart disease is when the heart, heart valves and/or the blood vessels near the heart do not develop correctly in the womb. This can weaken the heart muscle and lead to heart failure. Please note the symptoms for heart failure is different for children than for adults and is not discussed above.
Information gathered 3-29-05.