The heart is a strong, muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body in a process called circulation. The blood delivered by the heart supplies oxygen and nutrients to the body’s organs and tissues. A healthy heart supplies the body with the right amount of blood at the right rate, but disease and other conditions can limit heart function.
Congestive heart failure, also referred to as heart failure, is a serious condition that hinders the heart’s ability to pump blood normally. Here, the cardiovascular team at Richmond University Medical Center explains this heart condition further, including what causes congestive heart failure, potential dangers, and more.
Congestive Heart Failure Explained
A person with congestive heart failure has a heart that can’t contract properly, limiting its ability to fill with blood. Contrary to the name, heart failure doesn’t mean that the heart will stop working. Rather, it means the heart is no longer able to pump blood well enough to meet the body’s needs.
Estimates show there are more than five million known cases of congestive heart failure in the United States. The condition is most commonly diagnosed in adults over the age of 65. This is because the heart muscle weakens as a person gets older. However, the rate of heart failure cases is increasing among younger adults, especially those under 45.
Heart failure can lead to hospitalization and other devasting outcomes. Studies indicate that one in nine deaths are linked to heart failure.
What Are the Four Stages of Congestive Heart Failure?
There are four stages of congestive heart failure. Medical professionals use the stages to assess the severity of a patient’s condition and guide treatment. The different stages of congestive heart failure include:
- Stage A: This stage refers to pre-heart failure or a high risk of developing heart failure. This can be due to family history or medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity.
- Stage B: Doctors determine Stage B of congestive heart failure when there are changes to heart function but no symptoms. This stage can be diagnosed with an echocardiogram.
- Stage C: Patients with Stage C congestive heart failure have been diagnosed with the condition and are experiencing symptoms.
- Stage D: This is the most severe stage of congestive heart failure and is reserved for advanced symptoms that don’t improve with treatment. People in this stage may have symptoms even when resting or mildly active.
What Causes Congestive Heart Failure?
Heart failure is typically caused by other health conditions or injuries that place added stress on the heart, causing it to become damaged or to work too hard. The most common causes of heart failure include:
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Diabetes
- Arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat)
- Certain medications, such as cancer drugs (chemotherapy)
- Obesity or a body mass index (BMI) higher than 30
- Congenital heart defects or heart issues present at birth
- Coronary artery disease
- Cardiomyopathy
- Kidney disease
The Signs of Heart Failure
The symptoms of heart failure usually depend on the side of the heart that’s affected and how far along the condition is. Generally. Symptoms are brought on by reduced blood flow to the body’s organs and fluid buildup.
The common symptoms of congestive heart failure include:
- Shortness of breath (often the first sign a person notices)
- Fatigue even after rest
- Chest pain
- Swelling in the ankles, legs, or abdomen
- Unexplained weight gain
- Excessive need to urinate
- Loss of appetite or upset stomach
- Coughing
- Trouble sleeping when lying flat and waking up in the night short of breath
- Heart palpitations
In some cases, patients may display mild or no symptoms at all. Additionally, it’s common for heart failure symptoms to come and go. This does not mean the condition is gone. Over time, heart failure symptoms tend to worsen, and a person may experience complications more often.
Potential Dangers
The body and heart try to compensate for the heart’s inability to keep up with demands. The heart will enlarge to make more room for blood, pump faster to increase output and increase muscle mass to pump more strongly.
The body tries to assist the heart by narrowing blood vessels to keep blood pressure up, trying to make up for the heart’s loss of power. Additionally, the kidneys will retain more salt and water rather than removing it through urine. Doing so helps to maintain blood pressure and allows the heart to temporarily pump stronger.
Over time, these processes can lead to several complications, including:
- Difficulty breathing due to a collection of fluid in the lungs
- Sudden cardiac arrest
- Kidney damage
- Liver damage
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Heart valve problems
- Irregular heartbeat
- Malnutrition
Treatment at Richmond University Medical Center
Richmond University Medical Center is proud to be the cardiovascular health and wellness hub for the Staten Island community. Our Cardiovascular Department provides patients with an inclusive approach to preventing and treating cardiovascular conditions, including congestive heart failure.
We offer cardiac risk screenings, education on healthy habits to limit risk, and personalized treatment plans that entail effective solutions. Contact us today for more information regarding our offerings or schedule an appointment to meet with our cardiology physicians.
