Heart failure is almost always a chronic, long-term condition, although it can sometimes develop suddenly. This condition may affect the right side, the left side, or both sides of the heart.
As the heart's pumping action is lost, blood may back up into other areas of the body, including:
With heart failure, many organs don't receive enough oxygen and nutrients, which damages them and reduces their ability to function properly. Most areas of the body can be affected when both sides of the heart fail.
The most common causes of heart failure are hypertension (high blood pressure) and coronary artery disease (for example, you have had a heart attack). Other structural or functional causes of heart failure include the following:
Heart failure becomes more common with advancing age. You are also at increased risk for developing heart failure if you are overweight, have diabetes, smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, or use cocaine.
A physical examination may reveal either an irregular or a rapid heartbeat. There may be distended neck veins, enlarged liver, swelling of the limbs (peripheral edema), and signs of fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion).
Listening to the chest with a stethoscope may reveal lung crackles or abnormal heart sounds. Blood pressure may be normal, high, or low.
Left-sided heart failure (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Left-sided heart failure is a life-threatening condition in which the left side of the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body. Reviewer: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/17/2006
Right-sided heart failure (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Right-sided heart failure is a condition in which the right side of the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently. Reviewer: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/06/2006
Pulmonary edema (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Pulmonary edema is an abnormal build up of fluid in the lungs, which leads to swelling. Reviewer: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Date: 07/17/2006
Cor pulmonale (4 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Cor pulmonale is failure of the right side of the heart caused by prolonged high blood pressure in the pulmonary artery and right ventricle of the heart. Reviewer: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/13/2006
Tension pneumothorax (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A tension pneumothorax is a complete collapse of the lung. It occurs when air enters, but does not leave, the space around the lung (pleural space. See also: Pneumothorax Reviewer: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Veteran Affairs, VA System, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 08/10/2007
Cardiac tamponade (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Cardiac tamponade is the compression of the heart caused by blood or fluid accumulation in the space between the myocardium (the muscle of the heart) and the pericardium (the outer covering sac of the heart. Reviewer: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Date: 07/14/2006
Heart disease (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart's ability to function normally. Various forms of heart disease include: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy; Aortic regurgitation; Aortic stenosis; Arrhythmias; Cardiogenic shock; Congenital heart disease; Coronary artery disease (CAD)Dilated cardiomyopathy; Endocarditis; Heart attack (myocardial infarction; Heart failure; Heart tumor; Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; Idiopathic cardiomyopathy; Ischemic cardiomyopathy; Acute mitral regurgitation; Chronic mitral regurgitation; Mitral stenosis; Mitral valve prolapse; Peripartum cardiomyopathy; Pulmonary stenosis; Stable angina; Unstable angina; Tricuspid regurgitation. Reviewer: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/06/2006
Dilated cardiomyopathy (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged, and cannot pump blood efficiently. The decreased heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and other body systems. There are several different types of cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common form. See also: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy; Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; Ischemic cardiomyopathy; Peripartum cardiomyopathy; Restrictive cardiomyopathy. Reviewer: Fabian Arnaldo, M.D., Department of Cardiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/18/2006
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