Congestive,Heart,Failure,Cause health Congestive Heart Failure

If the vagina is not offering the firm grip to your male partner, he expresses displeasure in lovemaking. You need to tighten the orifice and regain lost elasticity. You can make use of herbal remedies for loose vagina treatment naturally. H The technology behind listening devices has improved dramatically in recent years, giving new hope to those with impairment. While still far from a perfect replacement for the natural ability to hear, these devices give those with a disabili

Causes of Congestive Heart FailureThe normal heart is usually able to meet any temporary extra demand bysimply beating faster and more vigorously. Jogging, swimming and otherphysical exercise, for example, create extra burdens that any healthyheart can respond to immediately and with ease. The danger arises whena burden becomes continuous or excessive, as in cases of sustained highblood pressure (hypertension), where the effort to keep pushing bloodthrough inelastic blood vessels so overtaxes the heart that it beginsto fail. Any local insult to the muscle of the heart, such as wouldresult from a blockage in a coronary artery (a heart attack), canweaken the strength of the heart's contraction and thus produce heartfailure. Heart failure can also result from damage or a structuralchange in one of the heart valves, which may have been caused byrheumatic fever or a bacterial infection and may lead to internalobstruction or to valvular leakage. Even disorders that are notdirectly related to cardiac function can result in heart failure. Acase in point is severe anemia, a problem that decreases the blood'soxygen supply and may dangerously overwork the heart by forcing it tocirculate under-oxygenated blood around the body at an increasinglyexhausting pace. Severe vitamin B deficiency has also been implicatedin heart failure, as has a hyperactive thyroid. In an already weakenedheart, chronic infection with recurrent fever may also produce heartfailure. Symptoms of Congestive Heart FailureAs the heart's pumping action grows weaker, blood no longer circulatesin an adequate flow to the body's major systems. The result is a seriesof increasingly debilitating symptoms, many of which seem to havelittle to do with heart disease. Some problems originate in the brain,where the body's respiratory centers, lacking adequate oxygen, beginmalfunctioning. The kidneys, too, may no longer effectively filterexcess fluid out of the blood. Or the fault may be with the damagedheart itself, which is unable to move the now increasingly waterloggedblood at its usual brisk pace through the circulatory system.Consequently, the water begins backing up into the lungs, liver andtissues of other organs, producing one of the most telltale signs ofheart failure--congestion. This is why physicians often refer to thedisorder as congestive heart failure. Its most common symptoms include:Shortness of breath. Medically, this symptom is known asdyspnea, and it is often the earliest warning signal of heart failure.Usually, it appears gradually. In fact, the patient rarely notices it,until the first time he is left breathless by climbing a flight ofstairs or must stop at the end of a short walk to catch his breath. Rapid heartbeat. At about the same time, he may also notice that hisheart occasionally beats very rapidly. This is called tachycardia; itis another early symptom of heart failure, and it occurs because theovertaxed cardiac muscle attempts to compensate for its inability topump the normal amounts of blood per beat by beating more frequently.Swelling. Caused by the buildup of fluids, this symptomannounces itself by an unexpected and seemingly unaccountable weightgain of 5, 10 or 15 pounds. Usually, the ankles are the first place theswelling shows up; typically, they become puffy and bloated during theday, then return to normal with sleep. As the swelling increases,excess weight may also become noticeable on the arms and legs.Nocturnal breathlessness. This occurs in two forms, both ofwhich are associated with the later stages of heart failure. The lessserious and less dramatic type is related to sleep position: If aperson lies flat on a bed with only a single pillow, he may awakecoughing and choking. Far more terrifying, however, is to be awakenedby a feeling of imminent suffocation. Known as paroxysmal nocturnaldyspnea, this sensation is usually accompanied by a racing pulse, andit may last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more. Treatment of Congestive Heart FailureAs with most disorders, the earlier that congestive heart failure isdiagnosed, the more likely treatment will succeed. This is why it isimportant to be able to spot the first signs of the disorder and toseek prompt medical attention when they appear. More than likely, yourdoctor will recommend on or more of the following steps.A complete physical. Often, the most effective way to treatcongestive heart failure is to treat its underlying cause, and thechief purpose of a thorough examination is to identify that cause. Ifthe cause is high blood pressure, for example, lowering it will almostautomatically make the heart failure more amenable to treatment. On theother hand, if the underlying problem is a heart attack, bed rest and aprogram of coronary care may be instituted.Drugs. An effective treatment of progressive heart failure is adrug called digitalis. When given in small doses, digitalis not onlyslows the heart's rate but also increases the force of each beat, sothat each of these beats can move more blood. In certain cases,nitroglycerin may also be prescribed to ease the discomfort. Newvasodilator drugs to widen the blood vessels are also increasingly usedfor easing the load on a failing heart. Diuretics are used to reducefluid retention.Life-style factors. When appropriate, a physician may alsorecommend weight loss, suggest that salt intake be restricted since itpromotes water retention and urge that the individual rest frequentlyduring the day.Summing UpCongestive heart failure--related to a relative breakdown in theheart's ability to pump blood--is a highly treatable condition when itssymptoms are recognized promptly and brought to a physician'sattention. In most cases of early detection, it is a reversiblesyndrome that can be improved with proper treatment and life-styleadjustments. Article Tags: Congestive Heart Failure, Congestive Heart, Heart Failure