Congestive Heart Failure

What is congestive heart failure?

Congestive heart failure (CHF) develops when your heart can’t pump enough blood to supply your other organs.

You might be at increased risk of developing congestive heart failure if you have:

• Cardiomyopathy
• Congenital heart defects
• High blood pressure
• History of a heart attack
• Coronary artery disease (narrowed arteries)

You can also develop congestive heart failure if you have a heart valve disease (endocarditis or myocarditis) or develop an infection in your heart valves.

What are the symptoms of congestive heart failure?

When the blood flow from your heart slows down, the blood coming back to the heart builds up in your veins and causes congestion in the heart’s tissues. Dysfunction in your heart also affects your kidney function, making it more difficult for the organs to flush excess sodium and water out of your body.

This fluid build-up can cause swelling anywhere in your body, especially in your legs and ankles. Fluids can also build up in your lungs and cause symptoms like shortness of breath, especially when you’re lying down.

Chronic fatigue is another common side effect of congestive heart failure.

How is congestive heart failure diagnosed?

If you have shortness of breath or other symptoms of congestive heart failure, it’s important that you schedule a consultation with the team at Gulf Coast Cardiology Group PLLC to prevent permanent heart damage and other complications.

In-office diagnostic testing services are available to confirm congestive heart failure, including:

• Blood tests
• Chest X-rays
• Echocardiogram (echo)
• Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG)
• Treadmill stress test

These tests can also provide information about how advanced your condition is so that the team can design a treatment plan to meet your needs.

How is congestive heart failure treated?

Treating mild to moderate congestive heart failure often involves dietary changes, activity modification, and medications to remove excess fluids from your body. Medications are also available to relax your blood vessels to improve blood circulation.

If you have advanced congestive heart failure brought on by damaged heart valves, you might need surgery to repair or replace the valves. In the most advanced cases, a heart transplant will have to be considered.

The team at Gulf Coast Cardiology Group PLLC works with you on strategies to improve your diet and exercise routine to support your heart health. They also continue to monitor your heart function to ensure that your congestive heart failure treatments are working.

Call Gulf Coast Cardiology Group PLLC today or book an appointment online to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for symptoms of congestive heart failure.