Congestive Heart Failure

Are you concerned about Congestive Heart Failure? If left untreated, Congestive Heart Failure can be fatal, so it's vital to get the facts. If you get an early diagnosis and make the necessary changes to your health habits, there's no reason why you shouldn't live a long and fulfilling life. Congestive Heart Failure is easily treated through a combination of medication and dietary changes, a list of which can be provided by your doctor. So what exactly is Congestive Heart Failure, and how do you know if you're at risk?

Congestive Heart Failure happens when the cardiopulmonary muscle can't pump enough blood to your body's organs. The illness has a wide variety of causes, including blockage of the arteries, damage from previous cardio attacks, an illness called cardiomyopathy, congenital birth defects, or infection. When you suffer from this condition, your blood doesn't flow quickly enough through the veins, and a back up occurs. This leads to excess fluid from the blood travelling through the walls of the veins and into other parts of the body. Where the fluid builds up depends on which side of your cardiopulmonary muscle has the problem. If the right side isn't working properly, fluid will gather in the legs and abdomen, and the feet, ankles and belly become swollen. If the left side has the problem, fluid builds up in the lungs causing shortness of breath. This condition is called pulmonary edema, and if it's not treated promptly there's a chance you'll drown.