Congestive Heart Failure: A Case Based Discussion

Congestive heart failure, or heart failure, is a long-term condition in which your heart can’t pump blood well enough to meet your body’s needs. Your heart is still working. But because it can’t handle the amount of blood it should, blood builds up in other parts of your body. Most of the time, it collects in your lungs, legs and feet.

Think of it like a shipping department that can’t keep up with getting all the shipments where they need to go. The shipping department is always running behind and things pile up. When things pile up, they cause issues.

Types of congestive heart failure

Types of congestive heart failure include:

Left-sided heart failure.

Right-sided heart failure.

High-output heart failure. This is a rare type of congestive heart failure.

How common is congestive heart failure?

More than 6 million people in the United States have congestive heart failure. It’s the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65.

SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES

What are the congestive heart failure symptoms?

Congestive heart failure symptoms include:

Shortness of breath.

Waking up short of breath at night.

Chest pain.

Heart palpitations.

Fatigue when you’re active.

Swelling in your ankles, legs and abdomen.

Weight gain.

Need to urinate while resting at night.

A dry, hacking cough.

A full (bloated) or hard stomach.

Loss of appetite or upset stomach (nausea)

What causes congestive heart failure?

Causes of congestive heart failure include:

Coronary artery disease and/or heart attack.

Cardiomyopathy (genetic or viral).

Heart issues present at birth (congenital heart disease).

Diabetes.

High blood pressure (hypertension).

Arrhythmia.

Kidney disease.

A body mass index (BMI) higher than 30.

Tobacco and recreational drug use.

Alcohol use.

Medications such as cancer drugs (chemotherapy).

Left-sided heart failure is the most common cause of right-sided heart failure. When your left ventricle isn’t working correctly, it allows blood to back up. At some point, this backup affects your right ventricle. Other causes include certain lung problems and issues in other organs.

What are the risk factors for congestive heart failure?

Risk factors for congestive heart failure include:

Being older than 65.

Using tobacco products, cocaine or alcohol.

Having an inactive (sedentary) lifestyle.

Eating foods that have a lot of salt and fat.

Having high blood pressure.

Having coronary artery disease.

Having a heart attack.

Having a family history of congestive heart failure.

What are the complications of congestive heart failure?

Some of the complications from congestive heart failure include:

Irregular heartbeat.

Sudden cardiac arrest.

Heart valve problems.

A collection of fluid in your lungs.

Pulmonary hypertension.

Kidney damage.

Liver damage.

Malnutrition.