Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, is a life-threatening condition in which the heart can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body.
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 the:
Heart failure results in a lack of oxygen and nutrition to organs, 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.
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.
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.Heart failure may affect the right side, the left side, or both sides of the heart. The left side of the heart receiv...Reviewer: Larry A. Weinrauch, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Private practice specializing in Cardiovascular Disease, Watertown, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 09/23/2008
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.Right-sided heart failure occurs in about 1 in 20 people. Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart failure i...Reviewer: Larry A. Weinrauch, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Private practice specializing in Cardiovascular Disease, Watertown, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 09/23/2008
Pulmonary edema (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Pulmonary edema is an abnormal build up of fluid in the air sacs of the lungs, which leads to shortness of breath.Pulmonary edema is usually caused by heart failure. As the heart fails, pressure in the veins going through the lungs starts to rise....Reviewer: Jacob L. Heller, MD, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, Clinic. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 04/20/2009
Cor pulmonale (4 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Cor pulmonale is failure of the right side of the heart brought on by long-term high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries and right ventricle of the heart.Normally, the left side of the heart produces a higher blood pressure in order to pump b...Reviewer: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine UMDNJ-NJMS, Attending Physician in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 04/24/2009
Cardiac tamponade (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Cardiac tamponade is the compression of the heart that occurs when blood or fluid builds up in the space between the myocardium(the muscle of the heart) and the pericardium(the outer covering sac of the heart).In this condition, blood or fluid col...Reviewer: Robert A. Cowles, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 05/15/2008
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:.The most common cause of heart disease is a narrowing of or blockage in the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart...Reviewer: David C. Dugdlae, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 10/05/2008
Dilated cardiomyopathy (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged, and it cannot pump blood efficiently. The decreased heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and other body systems.There are several different types of car...Reviewer: Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 04/23/2009
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