The term congestive heart failure (CHF) is used interchangeably with the term heart failure; they both indicate the same condition. Heart failure is a condition that results from the inability of the heart to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body or the heart re-quires a higher filling pressure in order to pump effectively. Put simply, heart failure means that your heart can’t pump enough blood to keep all your body’s tissues and organs working properly.
It is important to note that the definition of congestive heart failure does not identify any particular problem with the heart or blood vessels. That is because heart failure itself is not a disease, but develops as a result of other conditions that damage the heart. Common conditions that can damage the heart include:
- Long-term, untreated high blood pressure
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
- Diseases of heart muscle itself (cardiomyopathy)
- Viral infections of the heart muscle (myocarditis)
- Toxins that affect the heart muscle (such as some chemotherapy agents)
- Diseases of the heart valves (endocarditis)
Sometimes CHF develops quickly, over days to weeks, but most often congestive heart failure develops slowly, as the heart gradually weakens and has more difficulty keeping up with its workload.
Heart failure may range in severity from a moderate decrease in function without any symptoms to significant damage that leaves a person seriously weakened and very symptomatic. Although heart failure is a serious condition, much can be done to manage its effects and its impact on a patient’s life.
Heart failure is a term that is frequently misused, especially when given as a cause of death. Heart failure is not synonymous with “cessation of heartbeat”; rather it implies an inability of the heart to keep up with the demands of the body.
Victoria’s comment: I’ve been a CHF patient for more than 8 years. The doctor said I had high blood pressure and coronary artery disease for many years that led up to the development of CHF.