The
working heart
The
heart pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. Blood travels into
the right side of the heart through two chambers, called the atrium and
ventricle, and continues to the lungs for oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood
then travels to the left side of the heart and is pumped by the left
ventricle to the rest of your body.
Symptoms
and complications of Congestive Heart Failure
Eventually
the heart is weakened by the excess work and loses its ability to pump
efficiently. The failing heart can no longer pump adequate amounts
of blood to the tissues that need it. The reduced blood flow
to the kidneys causes them to retain water and salt, which contributes
to swelling
of the legs and bloating. Blood can also back up into the blood vessels
of the lungs, causing fluid to accumulate in the lungs. Symptoms
include breathlessness, coughing, fatigue, fluid retention, and weight gain.
What
is Congestive Heart Failure?
In
congestive heart failure, the heart cannot pump efficiently, which slows the flow of blood to the lungs and the rest
of the body. The heart can temporarily maintain the blood flow in several
ways. It can enlarge to pump extra blood; it can beat faster; or the
ventricular walls can become thicker, which can strengthen the pumping
ability.
Some common causes of congestive heart failure are:
- Heart
Attack
- Aortic
Stenosis
- High
Blood Pressure
- Aortic
Regurgitation
- Dilated
Cardiomyopathy
- Mitral
Regurgitation
Treating
Congestive Heart Failure
Treating your congestive heart failure involves taking your medication,
changing your diet, and balancing a regular exercise program with daily
rests to help you regain body strength.
Talk to your physician about a treatment program that is right for you.
Common
causes of Congestive Heart Failure
- High blood pressure
In high blood pressure, the heart has to pump harder, causing the
muscular walls of the left ventricle to thicken. Eventually, the enlargement
stiffens the heart, reducing its ability to contract and pump efficiently.
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
The heart enlarges and the stretched and weakened muscle fibers
of the ventricles cannot pump forcefully.
- Aortic stenosis
The aortic valve can narrow, obstructing the flow of blood
from the heart. The left ventricle has to pump harder, and this extra
workload causes the heart muscle to get bigger.
- Aortic regurgitation
A weak aortic valve does not close tightly, allowing blood to leak
back into the left ventricle. As a result, less blood reaches the tissues and organs of the body, and there is a backflow
of blood into the ventricle.
- Mitral regurgitation
A damaged mitral valve does not close tightly. When this occurs, blood
leaks back into the atrium when the ventricle contracts, and less
blood reaches the rest of the body.
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