CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the adequate functioning of the heart as a pump to supply oxygenated blood to the body. Congestive heart failure may be caused by:
• Diseases that weaken the heart muscle.
• The diseases that cause stiffening of the heart muscle.

The heart has two atria (right atrium and left atrium) that the upper chambers of the heart and two ventricles (left ventricle and right ventricle) that form the lower chambers of the heart. The ventricles are muscular chambers, blood, when to pump the muscles. Muscle contraction is called systole. The reduction in pumping capacity of the heart chambers by the weakening of the muscle is called systolic dysfunction. The rest of this article is primarily to heart failure that is due to the weakness of the myocardium, systolic dysfunction. Congestive heart failure can affect many organs of the body. Heart failure seems scary, because it seems like your heart stops working.

Do not be discouraged by the term heart failure: the heart has stopped beating or pumping. Although heart failure is a serious disease that does not make me stop abruptly. Heart failure can gradually over several years, or move quickly after a heart attack or heart failure. As heart failure worsens, thighs and abdominal swelling and fluid accumulation (ascites). Puffy swelling (edema) is a sign of right heart failure, especially if edema edema. Nonpitting edema caused not by heart failure. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is generally classified as systolic or diastolic heart failure and is getting more common as we age

what causes heart failure?
Many disease processes can affect the pump power lead of the heart, congestive heart failure.
• Coronary heart disease,
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Diseases of the heart valves.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a syndrome not a disease that can be caused by various causes. Chf is a weakening of the heart caused by an underlying problem with the heart or blood vessels, often with a combination of several problems, including:
• Weakened heart muscle
• Damaged heart valves
• Opening of the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle (coronary arteries), leading to heart attack
• Exposure to toxic substances such as alcohol or cocaine
• Infections
• Hypertension causes thickening of the heart muscle (left ventricular hypertrophy)
• Pericardial disease, such as pericardial effusion (a large collection of fluid around the heart in the space between the heart muscle and the thick layer of the pericardium that surrounds the heart) and / or comply with thickening of the pericardium, the heart allowed adequate
• Congenital heart defects
• Prolonged, severe cardiac arrhythmias

Damage the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy): the heart muscle is weakened by injury or disease and therefore do not have the force of the contract term or drag on demand. This muscle damage can occur from coronary heart disease (chd) causes a heart attack or long-term hypertension, viral infections, alcohol abuse, diabetes or other less common causes. Over time, this extra work damage and weakening of the heart. Adequate treatment of high blood pressure can prevent left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure left.

The symptoms of heart failure
• An early symptom of heart failure is fatigue. Exercise can also reduce the
Ability of a person.
• How is overloaded with the bodily fluid of congestive heart failure, swelling (edema) can be found on ankles and legs or abdomen. This can lead to "the right of heart failure" as a failure of the straight sections of the heart to pump venous blood into the lungs with oxygen to form deposits of fluid within the areas dependent on gravity to purchase as are the legs. The most common reason for what has long been of the left heart failure, which can lead to right heart failure secondary. The right side heart failure may also be a serious lung disease ( called "the lungs), or intrinsic diseases of the heart muscle due to right (rare)
• Excess fluid in the body cause increased urination, especially at night.
• In addition, the fluid accumulates in the lungs, causing shortness of breath, especially during exercise and when it is horizontal. In some cases, patients are awake during the night, gasping for breath.
• Some can not sleep while sitting.
• Fluid accumulation in the liver and intestine is nausea, abdominal pain and loss of appetite

congestive heart failure has three main symptoms:
• Exercise intolerance
The body needs oxygen and other nutrients during the year. Shortness of breath that accompanies these activities is usually better with rest.
• Shortness of breath
• Water retention and swelling
Nonpitting edema not caused by heart failure. Pitting edema is not synonymous with heart failure, there may be other causes, including liver and kidney failure. Daily weight control are necessary for people with heart failure, the volume of water retention is reflected in the rule for the amount of increased shortness of breath and weight gain.

Treatment of congestive heart failure
The symptoms are, by removing excess fluid from the body, improve blood circulation, improve heart muscle function and increase the supply of oxygen released into the tissues of the body. After heart failure is diagnosed, treatment should be started immediately. Sodium leads to increased accumulation of fluid in body tissues. In people suffering from congestive heart failure, a record of more than 2 grams (2000 mg) of sodium per day is usually recommended. Although many people suffering from congestive heart failure taking diuretics, the elimination of excess fluids from the effect of these drugs by excessive consumption of water and other liquids are overwhelmed. The maxim that "drink eight glasses of water a day is healthy," certainly does not apply in patients with congestive heart failure. In fact, in patients with advanced heart failure is often advised to limit their consumption of fluid per day from all sources to 2 liters.

Medications
• Angiotensin converting enzyme (ace) inhibitors
This class of drugs has been extensively studied in the treatment of congestive heart failure. These drugs block the formation of angiotensin ii, a hormone with many potential adverse effects on the cardiovascular system in patients with heart failure. The wealth of evidence to support the use of these drugs in heart failure is so strong that the ace inhibitors in all patients with heart failure, especially those with heart failure should be considered. When used carefully with appropriate monitoring, but most people tolerate these drugs for heart failure without major problems. Examples of ace inhibitors are: a small quick study of these agents has suggested a greater survival benefit in elderly heart failure than ace inhibitor. Further investigations are underway to explore the use of these drugs in heart failure, either alone or in combination with the ace inhibitor.

• Beta-blockers
The effect of these hormones on the beta receptors of the heart is a strong contraction of the heart muscle. Since it was assumed that the beta receptor blockade further depressed cardiac function, beta-blockers are traditionally used in people with congestive heart failure. In the case of congestive heart failure, however, the stimulating effect of these hormones, primarily useful for the maintenance of heart function, seems to have negative effects on the heart muscle over time. However, some studies have shown significant clinical benefit of beta-blockers to improve cardiac function and survival in people with congestive heart failure who are already ace inhibitors. Although carvedilol (coreg) was the drug most thoroughly studied in the context of congestive heart failure, studies of other beta-blockers have been promising. Research directly comparing carvedilol with other beta-blockers in the treatment of congestive heart failure is ongoing. Long-acting metoprolol (toprol xl) is also effective in people with congestive heart failure.

• Digoxin
Digoxin (lanoxin) was used in the treatment of congestive heart failure for hundreds of years. Digoxin stimulates the heart muscle to contract more forcefully. It also has other actions that are not completely clear, improving the symptoms of congestive heart failure and may prevent heart failure in others. Digoxin is useful for many patients with significant symptoms of congestive heart failure.

• Diuretics
Diuretics are often an important component of treatment for congestive heart failure to prevent or alleviate the symptoms of fluid retention. In particular, a diuretic has been shown remarkably positive effects on survival of patients with heart failure with relatively advanced symptoms. Aldosterone has several adverse effects on the heart and circulation theory in the case of congestive heart failure. Medical researchers have found that spironolactone (aldactone) can improve the survival rate of patients with congestive heart failure.

• Heart transplant
In selected patients, heart transplantation is a viable treatment option.

Prevention
Some of them can be avoided. Others can not be avoided, but can be treated successfully. Some examples of diseases or lifestyle choices that can lead to congestive heart failure are as follows:
• Coronary heart disease (chd), including a heart attack
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
• High cholesterol uncontrolled
• Diabetes
• Congenital heart disease (heart disease that one is born with)
• Infection (including some common viruses, which can rarely affect the heart and can not reliably predict or prevent)
• Damage to heart valves (probably iv drug use)
• Alcoholism
• Smoking

In some cases, family history of heart failure may be present. Many cases are a combination of factors, and in other cases the cause is unknown.
If you have congestive heart failure, there are at increased risk of developing pneumonia. You should probably receive both the vaccine against pneumonia and influenza vaccines each year. Ask your health care provider to be sure.