What is Heat Failure?
Heart failure, a gradual disease is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases. It suggests that the heart becomes less efficient.
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It results from disturbances in cardiac output or due to increased pressure in the veins.
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It is the state of heart when it doesn't pump enough blood effectively to meet the needs of our body. The heart no longer pumps as it should, because the heart muscle is damaged for any reason.
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It is also referred as 'congestive heart failure' as congestion of the lungs is one of the main symptoms of this syndrome. Congestive suggests the buildup of interstitial fluid. People with congestive heart failure face breathing trouble while walking or climbing. Symptoms include fatigue, difficulty in breathing and tachycardia.
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Heart failure is unlike cardiac arrest (when the heart stops beating) or a heart attack (the most fearsome cardiovascular disorder, when the heart muscle is suddenly damaged by inadequate blood supply (oxygen starvation)).
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Why a heart might begin to fail? The reasons might be
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AGING (heart simply weakens and fails to push enough blood through our circulatory system);
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A past HISTORY OF HEART ATTACKS;
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LEAKING HEART VALVES (when heart valves fail to open normally);
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Uncontrolled HYPERTENSION (high blood pressure, mostly the diastolic pressure);
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A Serious ARRHYTHMIAS (abnormality of the rhythm or rate of the heartbeat)
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EMPHYSEMA (a degenerative lung disease in which alveolar walls disintegrate, reducing the area available for gas exchange)
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Imbalance ionic composition of body fluids can lead to heart failure.
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Mild exercise promotes efficient blood flow. Physicians prescribe various drugs to help the body get rid of excess fluid; expand blood vessels. There are other medications that help the heart muscle beat more forcefully.
