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Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Introduction |
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Congestive heart
failure (CHF) occurs when the
heart is unable to effectively pump
enough blood throughout the body. When the pumping ability of the
heart becomes weak, water and sodium
accumulate in the tissues and cause
a
fluid congestion. This
congestion puts further strains on the circulatory system.
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In systolic type CHF,
fluid accumulates in the lungs
(pulmonary congestion), and in the
diastolic type of CHF, fluid
accumulates in the feet, ankles,
legs, and abdomen. It is also possible
for patients to have heart failure
without any symptoms of congestion.
Congestive Heart
Failure is a clinical syndrome,
which can be caused by a myriad of
underlying disorders. These
include, and are not limited to; diabetes, chronic lung
disease (asthma or emphysema), and
other types of cardiac disease
(heart attacks, coronary artery
disease, rheumatic heart disease, or
heart valve disorder).
Other risk
factors include smoking, physical
inactivity, high
cholesterol, and obesity.
Congestive Heart Failure is
the most common cause for
hospitalization in patients over the
age of 65, and affects more men than
women. CHF also affects twice as
many African-Americans as
Caucasians, with twice the
mortality rate.
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Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms
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The general symptoms
of Congestive Heart Failure
include:
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Weakness
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Fatigue
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Shortness of Breast
(dyspnea)
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Fluid Accumulation
(edema in feet, ankles, legs,
and/or abdomen)
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Exercise
intolerance (shortness of breast
with daily activity)
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Persistent coughing
(blood may be present in sputum)
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Cardiac asthma
(shortness of breath when lying
down)
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Congestive Heart Failure
Statistics |
According to the
American Heart Association (1):
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Approximately 5
million Americans have Congestive
Heart Failure.
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An estimated
500,000 new cases of CHF will be
diagnosed this year.
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About 80% of men
and 70% of women diagnosed with
Congestive Heart Failure will die
within 8 years.
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Learn More About
Congestive Heart Failure |
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