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What is CHF or Congestive Heart Failure? CHF is a conditionn in which the heart has difficulty pumping the blood effectively through the body's system. When someone suffers from CHF the weakend heart pumps less blood than usual. The blood stalls or pools in the body's tissues, making it even harder for the heart to push blood through the arteries on the next beat. With this congestion or pooling, the legs and ankles swell and fluid collects in the lungs, interfering with the ability to breathe, especially while lying down. The kidneys also have trouble disposing of excess salt and water.
The body retains water, increasing congestion and swelling. If untreated, the congestion worsens and can prevent the heart from pumping enough blood to keep the person alive. CHF has four main levels of intensity:
Level I: Physical activity is unaffected. There is slight fatigue. Some shortness of breath and pain during increased activity.
Level II: Mild fatigue, shortness of breath and palpatations during normal activity.
Level III: Activity is dramatically limited. Pain and shotness of breath is constant during limited activity.
Level IV: Pain, shortness of breath and palpatations even at rest. Discomfort increases with minimal activity.
In most cases medications and lifestyle changes alone can help the CHF patient to lead a normal life. It depends on how well your heart responds to the treatment plan, that determines your health outlook.
Around four and a half million people live with CHF. CHF is responsible for about 260,000 deaths each year. It is the single most frequent cause of hospitalization for those 65 and older. Ten percent of those with mild CHF and more than fifty percent with severe chf die yearly.
The common symptoms of CHF are:
Shortness of breath during exercise or when lying flat.
Swollen legs or ankles.
Dry, hacking cough.
Wheezing cough.
Fatigue, palpatations or pain during normal activities.
Weight gain from fluid retention.
Increased urination, especially at night.
Dizziness or confusion.
Rapid or irregular heartbeats.
Althought these are some of the symptoms some patients experience no symptoms at all.
To diagnose CHF your doctor will do a physical exam. Other questons he or she will want answered are:
Do you have any other health problem such as, diabetes, kidney problems, angina, high blood pressure or other heart related problems?
Do you smoke?
Do you drink alcohol and how much?
Are you taking any other medications?
Other tests that your doctor might perform on you are blood and urine. Blood tests are done to check for proper kidney and thyroid function and to check for anemia and high blood pressure. An EKG shows the heart rate and rhythm. X-rays are done to show if the heart is enlarged or the lungs are congested.
Treatment of CHF is done by slowing or reversing its progression. Rest and a special diet, the modification of daily activities and medication therapy are only a few of the things that can help you live with and manage CHF effectively.
Other things that can help are maintaining a steady weight, exercising regularly, restricting salt, avoiding alcohol and quitting smoking. You need to work with your doctor to find the right balance. Your doctor may prescriibe anyone of the following medications to help with your treatment:
ACE inhibitors
Beta Blockers
Digitalis
Diuretics
Vasodilators
Inotropic Agents
Potassium
In some cases, when drug therapy doesn't improve the hearts function enough, surgery may be neccessary. Drug therapy to lower blood pressure has shown to reduce heart failure rates by 40 to 60%. Early diagnosis and treatment of heart valve abnormalities can prevent CHF caused by chronic volume overload of the hearts left chamber. CHF can be managed with proper treatment and th CHF patient can lead a nearly normal life.
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