Coping With Congestive Heart Failure

A diagnosis of congestive heart failure may sound like the heart has stopped beating, which is not the case. Although the condition can be serious, it is often successfully treated in order to decrease symptoms and improve a person’s ability to function normally.

Understanding a CHF Diagnosis

Congestive heart failure does not mean the heart stops beating.

Your heart is a muscle, which pumps blood to organs and tissues of the body. As with any muscle, it can become weak. When the heart becomes weak, it does not beat as strong or forcefully as it needs to. The condition is chronic, and the heart can become progressively weaker overtime, especially if lifestyle changes and treatment are not implemented. Either side of the heart can be affected.

When the heart is not working efficiently, it can cause problems with the kidneys and fluid can buildup in the body. Shortness of breathing due to fluid accumulation in the lungs is a common symptom of congestive heart failure.

Swelling of the feet and ankles are also common. Many people with congestive heart failure also experience fatigue. The extent of fatigue often is related to the stage of the disease. For example, people with mild CHF may develop fatigue after exercise. While individuals with severe CHF may have fatigue as they do everyday activities, such as bathing or eating. 

Causes of Congestive Heart Failure

Any condition that causes damage to the heart can lead to heart failure. One of the most common causes of heart failure is a previous heart attack. During a heart attack, blood flow to the heart is reduced or cut off. Part of the heart is damaged. A damaged heart is weak and cannot pump blood as forcefully as it once did. 

Congestive heart failure can be caused by a variety of other conditions, such as high blood pressure. Chronic high blood pressure makes the heart work harder. As time goes on, the heart eventually become weaker from having an increased workload.

People with diabetes may also develop damage to their heart and heart failure may follow. Certain chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive lung disease, may also may lead to congestive heart failure. In people with COPD, their oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange is impaired, which makes the heart work harder.  

Although it is more common in adults, children can also develop congestive heart failure. In children, the condition is most commonly due to a congenial heart problem, such as cardiomyopathy.   

See Also: Heart Murmur: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

For example, class I heart failure involves mild symptoms, such as slight fatigue. There are usually no limitations on physical activity for people with this class of congestive heart failure.

The worst class of heart failure is class IV. People who have this class are in severe heart failure. Symptoms, such as trouble breathing, are present even at rest, which makes carrying out normal daily activities difficult.

Managing Congestive Heart Failure 

People who are diagnosed with congestive heart failure should learn as much as possible about their condition. In addition to medication, there are many things patients can do to improve their quality of life.

Treatment for CHF

There are several ways to treat patients with congestive heart failure. The type of treatment recommended will depend on the class of the disease and severity of symptoms.

One of the most important things a person diagnosed with congestive heart failure can do is become educated about the disease. Patients who take an active role in their treatment often will feel more in control. 

Medications used may include vasodilators, which help reduce blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels. Diuretics are also often prescribed in order to decrease fluid retention.

Medication may also be given to improve the strength of the heart’s contraction, making it pump more efficiently. A type of drug called beta-blockers are also prescribed in some cases. Beta-blockers improve blood flow. In order to reduce the development of blood clots, anticoagulants may sometimes be recommended for patients with heart failure.

It is common for people with heart failure to have to take several different medications to reduce symptoms. It is critical patients understand which medications they are taking for what symptoms. Current dosage and possible side effects should be thoroughly discussed. People with congestive heart failure should keep a list of their medications in order to provide a quick reference for medical personnel in an emergency. 

Surgery may be recommended for some people with heart failure. For instance, people who have congenital heart defects, may have surgery to correct the problem.

CHF Lifestyle Changes Van Make a Difference

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, your doctor may discuss possible lifestyle changes you can make to decrease your symptoms and prevent the condition from becoming worse. Although lifestyle changes can sometimes be difficult to stick with, making certain changes can greatly improve your quality of life.

Smoking causes your heart to work harder, damages your lungs and can also damage blood vessels. According to the American Heart Association, heart failure symptoms often improve after a person quits smoking.

Maintaining a healthy weight is also critical for people who have been diagnosed with heart failure. If you are overweight, more stress is placed on your heart, which is already weak.

Since fluid retention is often a symptom of heart failure, people with the condition should pay close attention to their fluid intake. Speak to your doctor about recommended fluid restrictions.

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Too much salt can also lead to fluid buildup. If you have congestive heart failure, you need to be aware of not only the salt you add to food, but what foods are naturally high in sodium. Controlling blood pressure through diet, exercise and proper medications is also an important lifestyle change people with congestive heart failure should be aware make.