Congestive heart failure is one of the leading chronic conditions which can affect the pumping ability of the heart muscles. Congestive heart failure is simply considered as heart failure but to be specific it is a condition where the fluid builds up surrounding the heart and results in ineffective heart pumping.
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The heart comprises of four chambers in which upper halves are considered as atria and lower halves are considered as ventricles. The ventricles help in pumping the blood around the organs of the body along with the body tissues. Congestive heart failure is a condition that develops when the ventricles stop pumping enough blood supply towards the body. Eventually, the fluids start building up within the lower body extremities, liver, abdomen and lungs. It can be a life-threatening condition that is divided into multiple types.
There are different stages of congestive heart failure such as class1 where it is manageable with the adoption of a healthy lifestyle and certain food choices. In class 2 congestive heart failure symptoms start appearing like palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath and can be managed through lifestyle. In class 3, congestive heart failure is serious with complex symptoms and you need a complicated treatment at this stage. In class 4, congestive heart failure, the symptoms are severe and you are unable to perform any physical activity. At this stage, there is no such cure but therapeutic options are chosen to reduce your risks to suffer from death.
You must be wondering what the specific symptoms of heart failure are. Make sure if you suffer from excessive fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, swelling of the legs and ankle, protrusion of the neck veins, abdominal swelling, persistent coughing, excess weight gain, loss of appetite, irregular pulse and others. If you suffer from such symptoms you are suffering from congestive heart failure so immediately visit the hospital for appropriate treatment protocol.
The specific types of congestive heart failure include:
The left-sided heart failure is one of the most common forms of congestive heart failure. It is seen when the left ventricles are unable to pump enough blood throughout the body. As congestive heart failure progresses, it leads to fluid buildup and leads to breathing difficulties. The left-sided heart failure is divided into systolic and diastolic heart failure. Systolic heart failure is seen when the left ventricle is unable to contract properly. This improper contraction results in less force due to which the heart is unable to pump properly. Diastolic heart failure is seen when the muscles of the left ventricles are stiffer. In this condition, the heart is unable to fill properly because the relaxation is incomplete and the blood is seen between regular heartbeats.
The right-sided heart failure is seen where the right ventricle is unable to pump properly and transport blood to the lungs. Blood then flows backward in the blood vessels resulting in fluid retention within different parts of the body like lower body extremities, lungs, abdomen and others. The right-sided heart failure is usually seen due to left-sided heart failure. It can also occur due to conditions like lung diseases.
Heart failure is one of the serious medical conditions which requires immediate treatment. Immediate treatment plan allows you to recovery for long-term and reduces your chance to suffer from complications that might lead to death.
Until Next time,
Team Doctor ASKY!