Congestive Heart Failure

by

Sarah Zambrano

     Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a disease that means that the heart is not able to pump blood as well as it should, and blood and fluid become backed up around the heart, in the lungs, and sometimes around the abdomen, liver, and parts of the lower body (such as legs, feet, ankles, etc). The heart is a muscle, and it is imperative that it pump well enough to circulate the blood and deliver oxygen to the rest of the body. Sometimes the heart muscle has become weakened and can't pump blood strongly enough out of the ventricles.  Other times the heart muscle becomes stiffened and less blood is able to fill the ventricles, thus the heart is pumping much smaller amounts of blood. If left untreated, the person's ability to perform daily activities will become severely impaired as they become increasingly unable to breathe and unable to do anything without becoming winded and tired. Congestive Heart Failure, the lack of sufficient blood and oxygen to the rest of the body, and the damage it causes to the rest of the organs, can be deadly if it continues to progress.

     CHF can be caused by hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart valve conditions, as well as obesity, thyroid disease, diabetes, and/or severe infections. Prevention of these health problems/diseases can help prevent the development of CHF. Early detection of CHF can help medical professionals and the patient to manage it and hopefully stop it from further progressing. There are several different medications that can be used to help treat CHF once it is diagnosed, as well as different types of heart surgery to prepare valves and/or unblock arteries. Doctors will also strongly urge exercise, a well-balanced diet, no smoking or using illegal drugs, and losing excess weight. If heart failure becomes extremely severe, a heart transplant may be the only option that the person has before end-of-life care.

     Heart failure was a contributing cause of death in 1 out of 8 deaths in the United States in 2017, and an estimated 6.5 million adults in the United States have heart failure. The southern states in the US have the highest death rates due to heart failure for people aged 45-64, with Mississippi being the highest at 83.3 deaths per 100,000 people due to heart failure between 2014-2016. Minnesota's rate for the same age range is 18.6.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-failure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373142

https://www.123rf.com/photo_128481153_stock-vector-heart-failure-or-congestive-heart-failure.html

https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/what-is-heart-failure

https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/heart_failure.htm

https://nccd.cdc.gov/DHDSPAtlas/?state=State