Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

What is congestive heart failure (CHF)?

CHF is a condition in which your body doesn’t pump blood efficiently. Due to reduced pumping power and circulation, CHF can cause serious health problems including organ damage and death. 

There are a few types of CHF, including: 

Left-sided CHF

Left-sided heart failure, the most common type of CHF, occurs when the heart’s left ventricle doesn’t work well. With left-sided CHF, the heart is either too weak to pump adequately or the bottom heart chambers are too stiff to relax enough to fill with blood. 

Right-sided heart CHF

Right-sided CHF occurs when your heart’s right side doesn’t send enough blood to your lungs. It most often occurs in people who already have left-sided CHF.

CHF can lead to serious symptoms and becomes life-threatening in its late stages. So, it’s important to know the symptoms and reach out to Capitol Cardiology Associates if you experience new problems.

What are the symptoms of congestive heart failure?

CHF symptoms can include: 

• Breathing difficulties
• Fatigue
• Dry cough
• Leg weakness after physical activity
• Ankle, leg, or abdominal swelling
• Rapid sudden weight gain
• Waking up to urinate several times during the night
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Nausea
• Poor appetite 

CHF symptoms can come and go, but invariably progress over time. If you experience any of these issues, Capitol Cardiology Associates can help with diagnosis and treatment. 

How is congestive heart failure treated?

Treatment of CHF focuses on reducing your symptoms, improving your quality of life, and extending your lifespan. The specific treatment approach depends on the type and severity of your CHF, but usually includes:

• Medication
• Diet changes, like reducing sodium intake and drinking less fluids
• Lifestyle changes, like quitting smoking, managing your stress, and regular exercise

You may need to start a cardiac rehab program, which includes education about how to live healthier and slow CHF progression. 

If you’ve tried all of these measures and still have severe CHF symptoms, your Capitol Cardiology Associates provider may recommend heart surgery. This involves placing a cardioverter defibrillator, pacemaker, or heart pump that helps your heart work more efficiently. In the most severe cases of CHF, doctors may recommend a heart transplant.

The earlier you start CHF treatment, the better. If you have CHF symptoms or a family history of heart disease, call Capitol Cardiology Associates or click the online scheduler to arrange your heart health screening now.