Full form of CHF
"Congestive Heart Failure" is the full form of CHF. CHF is a condition where the heart cannot pump the blood properly and affects the body's blood supply. The body is unable to receive the amount of blood it needs.
The heart is a four-chambered organ divided into two atria in the upper half and two chambers in the lower half. The atria receive blood from different body parts as part of the circulation. The ventricles are responsible for pumping oxygenated blood into the body as it reaches the organs and tissues. During CHF, normal circulation is affected, and the body does not receive the necessary amount of blood, causing blood and other body fluids to pool around other organs.
Causes of CHF
CHF occurs if any health problems involve the cardiovascular system. The first and main cause of hypertension.
- Hypertension: This causes the arteries to narrow, which can increase the tension in the blood vessels, causing problems with blood flow.
- Coronary artery disease: There will be a narrowing of the artery walls due to cholesterol deposits, causing a problem with normal blood flow.
- If there is any heart valve malfunction and the valves do not open and close properly, blood flow will also be affected.
- Other conditions that can cause CHF are diabetes, thyroid disorders, excessive alcohol intake, etc.
Types of CHF
Since the left side of the heart (oxygenated blood travels from the lungs to the left atrium and also to the left ventricle and then pumped to the rest of our body) is responsible for more of the pumping action, heart failure is said to be left-sided heart failure. They are:
- Systolic heart failure: This occurs when the left ventricles don't contract normally, so blood isn't properly pushed into circulation. The heart cannot function normally if this strength is not correct.
- Diastolic heart failure: This occurs when the muscles in the left ventricle stiffen. The pumping of the heart involves stiffening and relaxation. Because the ventricle does not relax, the blood cannot be pumped properly.
The problem starts in the left side of the heart, and if left untreated, the disease progresses to the right side of the heart.
Treatment of CHF
Treatment includes ACE inhibitors to open narrowed heart vessels, beta blockers to lower blood pressure, and diuretics to reduce fluid content in the body with subsequent excretion of excess fluid from the body. The surgical aspect includes angioplasty to open heart artery blockages.