Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a serious condition in which the heart is not pumping well enough to meet the body’s demand for oxygen. It got its name because the heart is failing to pump efficiently, which often results in congestion in the lungs. As a result, the heart tries to overcompensate for the problem, which only makes the problem worse.

Conditions that could lead to CHF include the following:

• Coronary artery disease

• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• Heart attack

• Cardiomyopathy

• Valvular heart disease (e.g., valvular stenosis or valvular regurgitation)

• Infection in the heart valves (valvular endocarditis) or of the heart muscle (myocarditis)

• Congenital heart disease (a cardiac condition present since birth)

• Severe lung disease (e.g., pulmonary hypertension)

The initial symptoms of CHF (e.g., swelling of the ankles) seem minor, so patients may not seek treatment until significant heart damage has already been done. Once they seek out medical help, a number of different treatments may be prescribed. These include medications such as diuretics, and minimally invasive procedures such as a balloon angioplasty with coronary stenting. Severe cases may require surgery.

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