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Credit: www.newhealthadvisor.com
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Heart
failure affects nearly 6 million Americans. Roughly 670,000 people are
diagnosed with heart failure each year. It is the leading cause of
hospitalization in people older than 65.
Heart
failure does not mean the heart has
stopped working. Rather, it means that the heart's pumping power is weaker than
normal. With heart failure, blood moves
through the heart and body at a slower rate, and pressure in the heart
increases. As a result, the heart cannot pump enough oxygen and nutrients to
meet the body's needs. The chambers of the heart may respond by stretching to
hold more blood to
pump through the body or by becoming stiff and thickened. This helps to keep
the blood moving, but the heart muscle walls may eventually weaken and become
unable to pump as efficiently. As a result, the kidneys may
respond by causing the body to retain fluid (water) and salt. If fluid builds
up in the arms, legs, ankles,
feet, lungs,
or other organs, the body becomes congested, and congestive heart
failure is the term used to describe the condition.
Heart
failure is caused by many conditions that damage the heart muscle, including:
- Coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD), a disease of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart, causes decreased blood flow to the heart muscle. If the arteries become blocked or severely narrowed, the heart becomes starved for oxygen and nutrients.
- Heart attack. A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes suddenly blocked, stopping the flow of blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack damages the heart muscle, resulting in a scarred area that does not function properly.
- Cardiomyopathy. Damage to the heart muscle from causes other than artery or blood flow problems, such as from infections or alcohol or drug abuse.
- Conditions that overwork the heart. Conditions including high blood pressure, valve disease, thyroid disease, kidney disease, diabetes, or heart defects present at birth can all cause heart failure. In addition, heart failure can occur when several diseases or conditions are present at once. Read more >>
Source: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide-heart-failure
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