Heart Failure

Posted: Feb. 1, 2005

Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to meet the needs of other body organs. Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped, but that it cannot pump blood the way that it should.

Heart failure is a serious condition. There is no cure for heart failure at this time. Around 5 million people in the United States have heart failure. More than 266,000 people in the United States die each year with heart failure.

Once diagnosed, medicines are needed for the rest of the person's life. Having a healthy diet and getting regular exercise can lower your risk.

Two types of heart failure
There are two main categories of heart failure — systolic and diastolic — and within each category, symptoms can differ from person to person.

Systolic heart failure happens when the heart's ability to pump blood decreases. The heart cannot push enough blood into the circulatory system, causing blood coming into the heart from the lungs to back up and leak fluid into the lungs (called pulmonary congestion).

Diastolic heart failure occurs when the heart has trouble relaxing or resting. The heart muscle becomes stiff and cannot fill with blood, causing fluid to build up (most often in the feet, ankles, and legs) and lung congestion.

What causes it?
The most common causes of heart failure are coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Common symptoms of heart failure include:

• Shortness of breath during mild or usual daily activities.
• Having trouble breathing when lying down.
• Weight gain with swelling in the legs, ankles or lower back from fluid buildup in the body. Swelling can be mild or moderate.
• General tiredness and weakness.

Treatment
The quality of life and life expectancy of persons with heart failure can be improved with early diagnosis and treatment. Treatment usually involves three to four medicines. Medicines used to treat heart failure include ACE inhibitors, diuretics, digoxin and beta blockers.

Persons living with heart failure can improve their quality of life by doing the following:

• Taking prescribed medications as recommended each day.
• Reducing their dietary intake of salt (sodium).
• Getting daily physical activity as recommended by their health provider.
• Being aware of and telling their health provider about their heart failure symptoms.
• Taking and keeping track of their weight every day to check fluid buildup in the body.
• Learning ways to deal with depression and stress and getting treatment if needed.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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