Tulane Doctors ~ Heart & Vascular Institute ~ Congestive Heart Failure

stethescope heart

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a disease in which the heart can no longer pump an adequate supply of blood to the rest of the body.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of this disease include:

Unusual shortness of breath with activity, or after lying down for a while
Cough
Swelling of feet and ankles
Swelling of the abdomen
Weight gain
Irregular or rapid pulse
Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)
Difficulty sleeping
Fatigue, weakness, faintness
Loss of appetite, indigestion
It is possible that you may have congestive heart failure and not have any symptoms that you would recognize

Causes

The most common cause of heart failure is coronary artery disease, a disease in which the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart become increasingly narrow or blocked. Other health problems, such as congenital heart disease, heart valve disease, some types of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), emphysema, severe anemia, hyperthyroidism, or hypothyroidism, may either cause heart failure or make heart failure worsen.