The heart is an organ that contracts to make blood circulate throughout the body. The heart is primarily composed of muscle, and is divided into four chambers separated by valves. Each chamber has a specific function. The heart muscle is supplied with essential oxygenated blood, through the coronary arteries. The oxygenated blood is essential because it is the heart's energy source.
What is congestive heart failure?
Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood as strongly as is required by the body. The heart's inability to pump effectively can be caused by failure of one or more of the parts of the heart, such as the valves, chambers, or arteries.
Specifically, heart failure can occur when a heart valve is not working, when the heart muscle is weakened by lack of blood supply (heart attack), because of a primary muscle problem (cardiomegaly), or as a result of a combination of all these problems.
What happens to the body in congestive heart failure?
Usually heart failure involves both the right and left sides of the heart. This is termed biventricular (both ventricles) congestive heart failure. The weakened pumping action of the ventricle may cause a backup of fluid in the lungs, or swelling in the legs. The failure of forward circulation (the blood pumped to lungs or tissues) reduces the amount of oxygen the blood receives and reduces the amount of oxygenated blood that is given to the tissues in the brain and muscles, for example.
Occasionally, only one side of the heart may fail to function properly, which is called right heart failure or left heart failure.
How frequently does congestive heart failure occur?
- 1% of the North American population over the age of 65 has congestive heart failure.
- Congestive heart failure is the most common reason for admission to hospital in patients over 65.
- 15% of patients with congestive heart failure are readmitted within 14 days of discharge from hospital. This number rises to 50% in 6 months from discharge.