Congestive heart failure is the term used when an area of the heart stops contracting, or pumping blood efficiently.
The heart is made up of fours chambers: two atria (right and left) and two ventricles (right and left). Most commonly, congestive heart failure is the result of left sided heart failure.
When any chamber of the heart is damaged, or not operating at full capacity, a decreased volume of blood is forced from the heart during each contraction. Blood returns to the heart after it circulates in the body and, simply stated, it all backs up. The result is an accumulation of fluid, or congestion in the lungs and body tissues, causing edema or swelling. Congestive heart failure decreases physical endurance, makes breathing more difficult and interferes with quality of life.
Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure
Symptoms include unexplained weight gain from accumulation of fluid anywhere in the body. Swelling in the legs and ankles is very characteristic. Abdominal swelling and lung congestion, accompanied by shortness of breath, are also warning signs of congestive heart failure. Kidney failure is closely associated with congestive heart failure. When fluid accumulates to excess in the body, the kidneys can no longer keep up with eliminating sodium and water from the body.
A physician's diagnosis of congestive heart failure is necessary. Your doctor will perform an exam, blood tests, chest X-ray and special heart tests such as echocardiogram, nuclear stress tests and EKG. Cardiac catheterization can measure pressures in the heart chambers, sometimes performed to determine the exact cause of congestive heart failure.
By Kathleen Blanchard RN
