Congestive Heart Failure - Causes, Symptoms, Types, Stages & Treatment

It is known to all that the heart is one of the most vital organs of the human body. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic, life-threatening condition that affects the essential duty of a heart, which is pumping blood. This condition causes rapid fluid buildup in the heart, reducing the heart’s efficiency to pump blood.

Are you concerned about congestive heart failure and want to know more about it? Then, stick till the end of this article to know all its symptoms, treatment and prevention measures!

The term heart failure might sound like the heart has stopped working. However, in reality, it means that the heart works inefficiently. This is no exception in CHF as well. The heart comprises two atria and two ventricles. While the ventricles pump blood to the body cells and tissues, the atria receive the blood and circulate it back in the other body parts. Once you develop CHF, your ventricles fail to pump enough volume of blood to your body. 

There can be various causes of congestive heart failure. The following section discusses the same. 

• Hypertension: High blood pressure is often one of the most significant causes of heart failure. Hypertension might occur because of the hardening of your arteries. It increases pressure in the arteries, ultimately causing congestive heart failure.
• Coronary artery disease: This disease affects the arteries supplying blood and oxygen to the heart. As a result of this condition, the arteries decrease blood flow to the heart muscles. As a result, the heart can starve for oxygen and nutrients if the arteries are blocked or narrowed.
• Cardiomyopathy: Heart can also be damaged due to other other infections than artery or blood flow problems. Moreover, if you are addicted to alcohol or other substances, it might also end up damaging your heart, causing cardiomyopathy.
• Heart attack: If your coronary artery gets blocked, it stops the blood flow to the heart muscles. It causes a heart attack. Ultimately, it damages the heart muscles, resulting in a scarred area within the heart.

Now that you know the causes of CHF, you must be curious to know the types of this disease. Generally, two types of congestive heart failure are left-sided and right-sided. The two kinds of left-sided CHF are discussed below.

• Systolic heart failure: When your left ventricle fails to perform its duties efficiently, you develop this disease. It reduces the level of force in blood circulation, ultimately minimising the efficiency of the heart to pump blood.
• Diastolic heart failure: When the muscles of your left ventricle become stiff, you develop this disorder. As it can no longer relax, your heart fails to fill your body with blood between the beats.

On the other hand, right-sided CHF might occur if your right ventricle cannot pump blood to your lungs. As blood backs up in your vessels, your body faces fluid retention in the abdomen and other vital organs.

Congestive cardiac failure is commonly seen in older adults, particularly those aged 65 years or above. Moreover, several disorders such as high blood pressure, thyroid disease, valve disease, kidney disease, diabetes, etc., can overwork the heart. Over time, it can end up in heart failure. Thus, people suffering from such conditions are at higher risks of developing CHF.

For diagnosing congestive heart disease, your general physician might refer a cardiologist to handle your case after observing your symptoms. The diagnosis of congestive heart failure starts with a physical examination. The doctors will use a stethoscope to detect your heart rhythms to check irregularity possibilities. Moreover, they might suggest other tests for checking the conditions of your blood vessels, heart valves and chambers.

• Blood tests: You might have to undergo blood tests for checking the possibilities of abnormal blood cells and infections. These tests include checking blood count, liver function and kidney functions. Moreover, it can also check the BNP level, a hormone that can rise with heart failure chances.
• Electrocardiogram: Doctors use this to check your heartbeat and rhythm. Abnormalities such as rapid or irregular heartbeat can suggest the chances that your heart chambers are thicker than usual. It shows possibilities of a heart attack.
• Chest X-ray: This is another valuable tool for diagnosing CHF. It helps assess heart size and fluid buildup within your blood vessels and lungs. Doctors suggest x-rays before starting your treatment.
• Echocardiogram: Doctors use this test as a way of using sound waves to record your heart’s structure and motion. It helps them determine if you are having issues with blood flow, muscle damage or contract of heart muscles.
• Cardiac catheterisation: It can show blockage of coronary arteries. Doctors will insert a small tube into your blood vessels while threading it from your upper thigh, wrist or arm.
• MRI: This test is used to take a picture of your heart, both still and moving. It helps doctors understand the current state of your heart and analyse its possible damages.

When diagnosed in the advanced stages, there are hardly any proper treatments for congestive heart failure. However, this disease is more curable if you start treating it from the initial stages. Doctors mainly suggest tight control on the lifestyle and medications and other monitoring.

Medication

Doctors mainly suggest Vasodilators, Diuretics and Aldosterone inhibitors for fluid retention and expanding the blood vessels. Moreover, ACE inhibitors, Digitalis glycosides and Anticoagulants are also considered effective medications for congestive heart failure. These help improve heart contractions, prevent blood clots, and improve heart functions.

Lifestyle Changes

It is a primary requirement in treating CHF. It includes the need to quit smoking and drinking. In addition, doctors will ask you to change your diet with a little to no salt for controlling blood pressure. Moreover, they can also restrict your daily fluid intake.

Surgical Procedures

Doctors prefer surgeries as a treatment of congestive cardiac failure in the most severe cases. It is used to open or bypass blocked arteries while replacing heart valves. Moreover, patients can also use a pacemaker, helping them to normalise their irregular heartbeat. Ventricular assist devices are used in some cases for heart transplantation. It is required only in the advanced stages of CHF.

Now that you know all about congestive heart failure, you must be curious to know how to prevent it. Doctors usually suggest the following activities which can lower the risks of developing this disease.

• You should quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption.
• Maintain a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. In addition, you should try to avoid salt, sugar and solid fats in your daily diet.
• Work on your physical activities by including at least one hour of aerobic exercise. Doctors also suggest walking, cycling and swimming for this.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Often, obesity can be a significant reason behind cardiovascular diseases.
• If you already have faced other heart damages, take proper consultation from your doctor regarding the preventive measures in your lifestyle.

Your ability to survive congestive heart failure depends on the stage at which you are diagnosed. If you can get it diagnosed early, your chances of survival will be higher. According to a 2017 review, the five-year survival rate is about 97% when diagnosed in stage A but reduces to only 20% when diagnosed in Class 4.. 

With the advancement of medical science, your chances of surviving this disease are also high. You can improve it with proper medication, surgery, or lifestyle changes. However, the treatment and survival largely depend on your health conditions. For instance, people with acute diabetes and blood pressure have lower survival chances.

Therefore, as you can see, congestive heart failure is a severe health concern. When fluids build up in your system, blocking the activities of the heart, you develop this disease. Doctors suggest patients get it diagnosed in the initial stages so that the treatment begins early. The survival rates are usually high when diagnosed in the early stages.