Overview

Heart failure is a condition that occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s nutrition and oxygen needs. The blood begins to back up and, as a result, the veins, tissues, and lungs become congested with fluid. Patients may feel short of breath or feel tired easily.

Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition and usually, there is no cure. But many people with heart failure lead a full, enjoyable life when the condition is managed with heart failure medications and healthy lifestyle changes. In more advanced cases, surgery may be needed.

Causes of Heart Failure

Heart failure can have more than one underlying cause. The most common causes of heart failure are:

• Coronary artery disease- a condition in which the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become narrow, causing the heart to work harder to pump blood. Eventually, coronary artery disease can weaken the heart muscle and affect the heart’s pumping ability.
• Heart attack- a heart attack (or myocardial infarction) can cause scar tissue that interferes with the heart’s ability to pump. Heart attacks are usually caused by blockages in the arteries of the heart.
• High blood pressure- causes increased pressure on the artery walls and can lead to heart failure. High blood pressure is known as hypertension.

In addition, certain conditions put patients at higher risk for developing heart failure, such as diabetes, arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart muscle), heart valve disease, family history of heart disease, obesity, sleep apnea, smoking and alcohol use.