Diagnosing Congestive Heart Failure

According to the National Heart and Lung and Blood Institute, "heart failure is a very common condition. About 5 million people in the United States have heart failure, and it results in about 300,000 deaths each year." With so many people affected, it is important to know the facts about it. One important fact to consider is diagnosing it correctly. Knowing the signs of congestive heart failure will help you in making a quick decision to get medical help.

Know what congestive heart failure is. This progressive disease happens when the heart cannot pump blood properly. It is either not able to push enough blood through and out to the body with the right amount of force, or it cannot fill up with the proper amount of blood. The reason congestive heart failure is considered a progressive disease is that the heart grows weaker over time.

Tiredness is one symptom of congestive heart failure. Since the heart is not working properly, it is not able to help the body rid itself of excess fluid. Oxygen-rich blood is not so rich anymore, which is one of the reasons for the symptom of tiredness.

Trouble breathing, including shortness of breath, is a symptom of congestive heart failure. This is a result of fluid buildup in the lungs. Someone with this disease cannot be as active as those without the disease because his or her heart is not working as efficiently as a normal heart. Even walking up stairs can become difficult.

Swelling is another symptom of this disease. The swelling is a result of the kidneys' inability to rid the body of sodium. This results in fluid buildup. Typically, you will notice swelling in the legs, feet and ankles, and sometimes in the abdomen.

Coughing is yet another symptom of congestive heart failure. This results from excessive fluid in the lungs that the body cannot get rid of. Because of this, the person may end up with what is called acute pulmonary edema. This is an emergency situation and should be treated by a physician immediately.

Get diagnosed early. Diagnosing congestive heart failure early is important. The earlier a person gets treatment, the less damage to the heart and other parts of the body occurs. Correct diagnosis of this disease should be done by your physician.

Get treatment. According to the American Heart Association, "CHF usually requires a treatment program of rest, proper diet, modified daily activities, and drugs such as: ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, digitalis, diuretics, and/or vasodilators."

Resources

• National Heart and Lung and Blood Institute.Gov
• American Heart.org