As more people live longer in the United States, rates of congestive heart failure are rising steadily. The condition usually is the end result of a range of cardiovascular problems. It means that your heart simply can't pump enough blood to keep all your body's tissues and organs working properly. The most common causes of congestive heart failure are: - Narrowed arteries that supply blood to the heart (coronary artery disease)
- Scar tissue from a past heart attack
- Hypertension (long-term high blood pressure)
- Heart valve disease
- Cardiomyopathy (disease of heart muscle itself)
- Congenital heart disease (a condition present at birth)
- Infection of heart valves (endocarditis)
- Infection of heart muscle (myocarditis)
Signs of congestive heart failure include gradually increasing shortness of breath with exertion, fatigue or weakness, swelling in feet, ankles and abdomen, rapid weight gain and chronic cough. If you think your heart may be in trouble, talk to your physician right away. New treatments, including sophisticated new medications and minimally invasive procedures, are being developed every day. And your doctor can advise you about lifestyle changes can help relieve symptoms and keep your condition from getting worse. Providence St. Peter Hospital offers a Heart Failure Program for people diagnosed with congestive heart failure. For more information, call the Regional Heart Center at (360) 493-7902.
|
