Contrary to its name, congestive heart failure does not mean the heart has failed completely. It means the heart no longer is able to meet the body's need for blood because it is pumping inefficiently. This inefficient pumping causes blood to back up in the veins leading to the heart, and causes the kidneys to retain fluid. This causes the body's tissues to swell. The swelling, called edema, most commonly affects the legs, but it also can occur in the lungs, causing breathing...
Read moreCongestive heart failure (CHF) is one of the most common reasons for hospital admission in the United States and most Western European... Read more »
As mentioned in a previous post, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Heart Disease, patients with RA have a significantly increased risk of heart... Read more »
Not really. In fact, heart failure is newly diagnosed in more than half a million Americans per year and may be somewhat different for men... Read more »
Source: HealthCentral Encyclopedia
Article updated and reviewed by Neil Siecke, MD, Clinical Insturctor, UCSD Division of Cardiology on July 28, 2005.Congestive heart failure (or heart... Read more »
Source: ADAM Encyclopedia
Heart failure is classified into four stages (Stage A through Stage D) that reflect the development and progression of the condition. Treatment... Read more »
Source: ADAM Encyclopedia
Up to half of patients hospitalized for heart failure are back in the hospital within 6 months. Many people return because of lifestyle factors, such... Read more »
Source: ADAM Encyclopedia
CausesHeart failure has many causes and can evolve in different ways.It can be a direct, latest-stage result of heart damage from one or more of... Read more »
Source: ADAM Encyclopedia
Nearly 290,000 people die from heart failure each year. Nevertheless, although heart failure produces very high mortality rates, treatment advances... Read more »