A healthy, pumping heart is an indicator of life. As time passed, medical conditions and diseases have become more critical. CHF or congestive heart failure is an advanced, chronic heart condition that affects the pumping power and heart muscles.
The main job of the heart is to pump blood to every part of the body. Heart failure doesn’t exactly mean that the heart stopped working. It means that the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to the body required for normal functioning.
What is Congestive Heart Failure?
There can be many reasons for heart failure or CHF. One reason is the development of fluid around the heart, resulting in inefficient pumping. Coronary artery disease, a condition that results in narrowed arteries can also be the reason.
Another contributing factor can be high blood pressure. It gradually leaves the heart weak and stiff to be able to pump efficiently. When the muscles in the heart are weakened or defected, they prevent the blood to get out into the circulation.
When sufficient amounts of blood are not circulated normally, the kidneys receive lesser blood. In turn, the kidneys will filter less fluid into the urine. This extra fluid can build up in the liver, lungs, around the eyes, and sometimes even in the legs. This condition is called fluid congestion, suggesting the name congestive heart failure.
Causes of CHF
Some medical experts also associate CHF with congenital defects and hereditary diseases. CHF can actually be the result of any critical health condition that eventually affects the cardiovascular system.
This is exactly why medics emphasize the need of getting frequent or at least yearly checkups. Early diagnosis can aid in the treatment and healing process immensely. Let’s talk about some of the top reasons for CHF in detail.
Hypertension or High Blood Pressure
Hypertension is linked to various heart diseases. Because it is all about the blood flow. There are many causes and after-effects of hypertension. But narrowed arteries turn out to the major contributor in causing CHF. It is difficult for blood to move through narrowed arteries.
Another contributor is muscle weakness. When the heart muscles are weakened, the blood flow isn’t normal. If you have high blood pressure and you gain weight fast, it’s essential to incorporate wellness activities and exercise into your daily routine.
Coronary Artery Disease
High cholesterol levels and fatty substances have the capability to block coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are small arteries, responsible for supplying blood to the heart. High cholesterol is a contributing factor to make the arteries narrow.
Narrowed arteries restrict the blood flow. The result can be damaged arteries as well. It’s vital to keep a check on your cholesterol levels. It is one of the fitness tips for men over 50. The same goes for women.
If they tend to increase, keep them normal with exercise and proper care. Running can improve our health and long-distance runners have shown a massive improvement in their cholesterol levels.
The Conditions of Your Valves
In regulating the flow of blood in the heart, the valves play a vital role. They open and close for the blood to go in and out of heart chambers. When the movement of the valves has defected, the ventricles are forced to attempt harder to pump blood.
This can lead to an infection, a heart defect, or even congestive heart failure.
Other Conditions
Heart-related diseases are developed over time due to various other conditions. People suffering from these medical conditions can escalate the dangers of CHF. Some instances of these conditions are thyroid disease, allergies, diabetes, obesity, and so on.
If you have a tendency to obesity and you are trying to look up the benefits and dangers of fat, then we afraid that it’s only the dangers that you will discover.
Running makes you fit and so do other exercises. Drinking plenty of water and maintaining a healthy diet can contribute to staying healthy. If you have any of the aforementioned conditions, be cautious before they turn into a life-threatening condition.
A Word about Congenital Defects
Some babies develop a medical condition right during gestation or at the time of birth. These conditions are called congenital defects or congenital disorders. The causes behind them can be environmental or inherited.
Causes of Congenital Disorders
The causes of congenital disorders can be many. Some of them are as follows:
Chromosomal Defects
Too few or too many chromosomes can lead to this defect. The defects in the structure of chromosomes can also be the reason.
Autosomal Recessive Inheritance
Inheriting two abnormal genes from each parent can cause this defect. The instances of these diseases are Congestive Heart Failure and Tay Sachs.
Single Gene Defects
A gene mutation can result in this defect.
Other Contributors
If the mother is an addict to drugs and alcohol or has a serious disease, this can lead to defects in the baby.
