Drugs may be prescribed to slow the progression of the disease by improving the heart’s ability to pump blood, decreasing stress on the heart and preventing fluid retention (which can lead to pulmonary edema, a condition in which fluid retention in the lungs has become so severe that emergency intervention is required). This means controlling blood pressure via lifestyle measures such as diet and exercise, or with medication if diet and exercise don’t help. Treatment of established congestive heart failure focuses on keeping the disease from worsening. The most important thing that can be done for congestive heart failure is prevent it in the first place by following healthy diet and lifestyle measures throughout your life. Need to decide if we want to mention pulmonary edema, where CHF has gotten so bad that fluid has built up to a dangerous point in the lungs requiring urgent / emergent intervention.
What is the conventional treatment for congestive heart failure? Blood tests can help determine whether damage to heart muscle has occurred, detect how well the kidneys are functioning, determine whether a person is anemic, and assess sodium and potassium levels as well as brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a substance secreted by the lower chambers of the heart in response to the development or worsening of heart failure. Other diagnostic tests for CHF may include a cardiac stress test, heart catheterization, which involves passing a thin, flexible tube into the right or left side of the heart, usually from the groin or the arm an MRI of the heart (here, powerful magnets and radio waves create pictures of the heart) and nuclear heart scans, non-invasive tests in which radioactive tracers are used to illuminate changes in the heart. Tests commonly obtained to determine the presence of congestive heart failure include an electrocardiogram, a chest x-ray and an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to create a detailed moving picture of the heart. With CHF, doctors look for signs such as rapid or strained breathing, an irregular or rapid heartbeat, abnormal heart sounds, swollen legs, distended neck veins, abnormal sounds from fluid buildup in the lungs heard via a stethoscope, and swelling of the liver. How is congestive heart failure diagnosed? Conditions that can contribute to congestive heart failure include diabetes, an overactive or underactive thyroid, emphysema, a viral or bacterial infection in the heart muscle, morbid obesity, high blood pressure and/or damaged heart valves.
These changes compromise the heart’s efficiency over time. When it is constantly overworked, the heart becomes larger and thicker than normal – as would any muscle that is consistently exercised beyond its normal workload. What are the causes of congestive heart failure?ĬHF can stem from any condition that leads to a change in the heart’s pumping power including damage to the heart muscle as a result of a heart attack, or thickening and hardening of the heart muscle as a result of longstanding high blood pressure, diabetes, or improperly functioning heart valves. Waking up after a few hours of sleep due to shortness of breath.Rapid weight gain due to fluid retention.Wheezing, or in severe cases the coughing up of pinkish phlegm.Left-sided heart insufficiency can cause fluid retention in the lungs, leading to shortness of breath. If the right side of the heart is affected, fluid builds up in the feet, ankles and legs. Fatigue and weakness, particularly during physical exertion as a result of insufficient oxygen reaching the muscles.What are the symptoms of congestive heart failure?Īs a result of congestive heart failure, fluid may collect in the lower legs, causing swelling, or in the lungs, causing shortness of breath.