PCCN Congestive Heart Failure

PCCN Congestive Heart Failure

Heart failure, sometimes known as congestive heart failure, occurs when your heart muscle doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. Certain conditions, such as narrowed arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease) or high blood pressure, gradually leave your heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump efficiently.

In heart failure, the main pumping chambers of your heart (the ventricles) may become stiff and not fill properly between beats. In some cases of heart failure, your heart muscle may become damaged and weakened, and the ventricles stretch (dilate) to the point that the heart can’t pump blood efficiently throughout your body.

Over time, the heart can no longer keep up with the normal demands placed on it to pump blood to the rest of your body.

Signs and Symptoms

• Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you exert yourself or when you lie down
• Fatigue and weakness
• Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Reduced ability to exercise
• Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm
• Increased need to urinate at night
• Swelling of your abdomen (ascites)
• Very rapid weight gain from fluid retention
• Lack of appetite and nausea
• Difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness
• Sudden, severe shortness of breath and coughing up pink, foamy mucus
• Chest pain if your heart failure is caused by a heart attack

Causes

Any of the following conditions can damage or weaken your heart and can cause heart failure. Some of these can be present without your knowing it:

• Coronary artery disease and heart attack
• Hypertension
• Faulty Heart Valves
• Cardiomyopathy
• Myocarditis
• Arrhythmias

Risk Factors

• HTN, CAD, MI, DM
• Sleep Apnea
• Congenital Heart Defects
• Valvular Heart Disease
• Alcohol and Tobacco Use
• Obesity, Irregular Heartbeats

Complications

• Kidney or Liver Damage
• Heart Valve or Rhythm Problems

Treatment

Heart failure is a chronic disease needing lifelong management. However, with treatment, signs and symptoms of heart failure can improve, and the heart sometimes becomes stronger. Treatment may help you live longer and reduce your chance of dying suddenly.

• ACE Inhibitors 
• Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers
• Beta Blockers
• Diuretics, Lanoxin
• Inotropes