Congestive heart failure occurs when the chambers of the heart can’t pump enough blood to the rest of the body, either as a result of narrowed arteries, high blood pressure, heart valve problems, or congenital heart defects. As a result, fluid and blood build up in the lungs and other parts of the body. It usually gets worse over time, with symptoms and complications that eventually lead to death. Heart failure usually occurs in either the left side of the heart or the right, or both.
Left-Sided Heart Failure
Left- heart failure affects the heart’s lower chamber, or left ventricle. The left ventricle is responsible for pumping blood throughout the rest of the body, making it stronger than the other chambers. Left-sided heart failure occurs when the strength of the left ventricle is diminished, the heart can’t properly pump enough blood throughout the body. This is systolic failure. Another form of left-sided heart failure is diastolic failure, which occurs when the heart doesn’t fill completely with blood between contractions.
When the left-side of the heart is not working properly, blood from the lungs may become backed up in them, called pulmonary edema. The slowed blood flow also results in the pooling of blood in the tissues, or edema.
Right-Sided Heart Failure
Right-sided heart failure usually occurs as a result of left-sided heart failure. The right ventricle pumps blood into the lungs to be filled with oxygen. Edema and fluid pressure in the left side can cause the right ventricle to become damaged, decreasing its ability to pump blood through the lungs.
Risk Factors
There are a number of factors associated with congestive heart failure. Some risk factors, such as genetics and aging, simply can’t be helped. But others, such as those listed below, can be controlled:
High blood pressure. Those with high blood pressure are two to three times more likely to develop congestive heart failure than those without.
Smoking. The link between smoking and heart disease has shown that a smoker’s chance of developing heart disease is up to four times greater than that of a nonsmoker. Chemicals in nicotine also reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood, thereby reducing oxygen needed by the heart.
High cholesterol levels. High levels of HDL cholesterol are also associated with congestive heart failure.
Obesity. Not only does it cause the heart to work harder than it should to pump blood throughout the body, but it is also associated with other risk factors, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Physical inactivity. A sedentary lifestyle can contribute to weight gain and obesity, a contributing factor in the onset of congestive heart failure. Excess weight causes the heart to constantly work harder than normal to pump blood throughout the body. Regular exercise can help maintain a healthy weight.
Low HDL cholesterol. Low levels of HDL, or the “good” cholesterol, have been linked to congestive heart failure. Too much LDL cholesterol eats away at the HDL cholesterol, which works to combat the harmful cholesterol.
Lowering Your Risk
There are a number of things you can do to lower the chances of congestive heart failure. If you are overweight, consider joining a gym in order to get regular exercise and lose weight. Monitor your blood pressure with home blood pressure monitors that can be purchased. If you smoke, quit. There are a number of aids you can purchase, including nicotine patches and gum, that can help wean you off slowly.