Heart failure definition Heart failure or congestive heart failure (CHF) is known as the structural or functional disorder of heart

that impairs the ability of heart to pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body. Due to inefficient pumping ability, fluid starts to buildup in the legs, ankles and feet (edema). Coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes are the primary causes that lead to congestive heart failure. Each year approximately 300000 people die with heart failure condition and about 5 million people in the United States are suffering from this condition. Heart failure increases the pressure in the heart because blood moves through the heart and the body at a slower rate. Thus the heart loses its ability to pump oxygenated blood and nutrients to other parts of the body. During heart failure, heart does not cease completely but lose the efficiency to pump the blood all around the body. Heart failure leads to reduction in muscle contraction and the ability of the heart chambers to fill with blood is limited, so there is less blood to pump out to tissues in the body. Also when the pumping power of the heart is reduced, it cannot pump out all the blood it receives as a result heart chamber fills with more blood. Congestive heart failure can also be caused due to high blood pressure, diseases of the heart valve, Ischemic heart, congenital heart diseases and even a severe anemia.

Heart failure typically affects the left, right or both the ventricles. If the left ventricle fails, then fluid will start to accumulate in the lungs due clogging of the veins in the lungs and may lead to severe respiratory disorder. Right ventricular failure is a condition in which, right half of the heart fails completely. Due to the increase of pressure in the veins, the fluid will slowly start to buildup in the legs (edema), liver and abdominal organs. When both the sides of the heart i.e. (left ventricle and right ventricle) fail, then the condition gives rise to biventricular failure. When the heart function get worse over the period of time, the strength of muscle contractions may be reduced, and the ability of the heart chambers to fill with blood may be limited by mechanical problems, resulting in less blood to pump out to tissues in the body.

Congestive heart failure occurs most often in elderly people who are over 70 years and the majority of the patients who die from heart failure are women. According to several studies it has been seen that men often die due to coronary heart diseases, before it develops to a heart failure. Long term hypertension, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking and high levels of bad cholesterol are often associated with congestive heart failure. Beta blockers can reduce the energy required for the heart to pump the blood all around the body because these blockers block the action of adrenaline hormones on the heart. Congestive heart failure can also lead to kidney failure as the excess fluid starts to accumulate in the body and the kidneys cannot dispose these fluids due to extra sodium and water composition. Healthy and balanced diet, regular physical activity, normal blood pressure, smoking cessation and abstaining from illicit drugs are some the preventive measures which help to avoid complications that lead to heart failure. These defensive steps go a long way in keeping the heart healthy and help to avoid other cardiovascular diseases.

Heart Failure causes  Coronary artery disease (CAD) or coronary heart disease (CHD) Coronary artery disease is caused due to accumulation of atheromatous plaque within the walls of arteries that supply fresh oxygenated blood to the heart and it is the root cause of heart failure. If the coronary arteries are blocked, the heart will strive for oxygenated blood and if this request is not met, it may lead to chest pain (Angina pectoris) or a heart attack. This affects the basic pumping ability of the heart and thus leads to congestive heart failure. Coronary heart disease is the most common underlying cause of cardiovascular disability and death. The common risk factors associated with this disease are hypertension, cigarette smoking, elevated blood lipids, a high fat diet, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes and stress.  High Blood pressure Person suffering from long standing high blood pressure is at a greater risk of suffering from heart failure as the heart struggles to pump blood harder. Blood pressure is used to measure the pressure of blood flow inside the arteries. If the blood pressure is higher than normal level then it is called as hypertension and it can lead to a massive heart attack which is also one of the underlying causes of heart failure. The symptoms of hypertension cannot be recognized by some people but consistent high blood pressure levels can prove to be more fatal. High salt intake, smoking, stress, obesity and physical inactivity are some of the reasons responsible for hypertension. People suffering from high blood pressure are always advised to reduce salt intake in their diet, to give up smoking and to engage in some kind of physical activity. Keeping blood pressure at a normal level will prove to be very beneficial for hearts health and prevent thus heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases.  Arrhythmia Prolonged and severe arrhythmia can lead to heart failure. The heart has an internal electrical system that controls the rhythm of the heartbeat. Problems with the electrical system can cause abnormal heart rhythms, called arrhythmias. It one of the major causes that leads to congestive heart failure. In arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow or with an irregular rhythm. Tachycardia is a condition in which the heartbeat is too fast and when the beat is too slow it is known as bradycardia. Due to arrhythmia, heart loses the capability of pumping enough blood to the body and thus causes severe damage to the brain, heart and other organs.  Congenital Heart disease Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a birth defect which is caused due to abnormal heart structure and functions and it is the major cause of heart failure among young childrens. According to recent survey, at least 8 out of every 1000 babies born each year have a congenital heart defect. This disease may be caused due to genetic disorder or it can pass through family having history of CHD. The woman who smokes during her pregnancy has an increased risk of having a baby with congenital heart disease. CHD does not cause pain in the chest but common symptoms associated with this disease are poor blood

circulation, fatigue, cyanosis and rapid breathing. Due to abnormal structural and functional defects of the heart, the risk of heart failure arrest among children increases.  Heart Attack People who had heart attack in some point of their life may be at a greater risk of having a heart failure. Heart attack is a condition which is caused due to breaking of atherosclerosis plaque or is dislodged from the wall of a vessel supplying blood to the heart and is suddenly obstructed. A blood clot can also form on the site of plaque of atherosclerosis in a coronary artery, preventing blood reaching the heart. Due to this the heart muscles are no longer oxygenated and they start to die and are replaced by scar tissue. The heart cannot pump blood efficiently if large areas of heart muscle are replaced by scar tissue. The primary cause for heart attack is atherosclerosis, which is the result of the accumulation of fatty deposits called as plaque inside the arteries which carry fresh oxygenated blood and nutrients to the heart and heart muscles. Atherosclerosis restrict the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart as these fatty deposits make the arteries narrow which obstruct the normal flow of the blood and therefore restrict the supply of oxygen to the heart muscles, making them incapable of pumping blood all around the body. Risk factors  High cholesterol High cholesterol levels in the blood increases the risk for coronary artery disease because it aids in the buildup of fatty deposits inside the coronary arteries. When the arteries are blocked due to fatty deposits, supply of oxygenated blood to brain and rest of the body is reduced to a large extent. Cholesterol-rich food increases the level of bad cholesterol or low density lipoprotein (LDL), which is deposited on the artery walls, which leads to atherosclerosis and it is the primary cause of coronary artery disease. These LDL molecules contain more cholesterol and does not aid in the transportation of cholesterol out of the body, instead it deposits cholesterol onto the vessel walls. High density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol plays a vital role in removing cholesterol out of the body by transporting it to the liver. Low HDL levels can lead to severe cardiovascular disorder.  Diabetes Diabetes generally contributes to high cholesterol and triglyceride levels (unhealthy fats) that contribute to coronary heart disease. People suffering from diabetes tend to have higher LDL levels than HDL levels. The higher percentage of LDL or bad cholesterol obstruct the normal flow of oxygenated blood to the heart, thus making heart inefficient for pumping blood all around the body. When the glucose level in the body increases, it affect the coronary arteries, making the walls rough and narrow due to the accumulation of fatty deposits that block the flow of the blood. If blood flow to the heart is interrupted, the cardiac muscle becomes starved for oxygen and dies. People suffering from type 2 diabetes are at a much higher risk for a heart attack or a cardiac arrest. Generally in type 1 diabetes, pancreas does not make enough insulin but in the case of type 2 diabetes insulin produced by the pancreas is rejected by

the body. If any of these conditions disturbs the blood glucose levels in the body it can lead to heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases.  Cardiomyopathy (Enlarged Heart) Cardiomyopathy is the deterioration of the function of myocardium. This cardiovascular disease affects the heart by arresting its normal functional activities. It can also severely affect blood vessel system of the body. It is mainly the disease of the heart muscle  Smoking Smoking is the leading cause of most of the heart diseases. Cigarettes contain harmful chemical compounds and toxic substances which cause irreparable damage not only to the heart but also to the overall health. It contains nicotine which is addictive and helps to increase bad cholesterol levels in the body. Smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 70%. It also increases the risk of sudden death due to coronary heart disease. Carbon monoxide contained in the smoke can clump the platelets in the blood, which makes the blood sticky and thus block coronary arteries. The chances of having a heart failure are seen quite often among habitual smokers. The risk of congenital heart disease increases among pregnant women who are habitual smokers. Due to smoking, more than 430,000 people in the United States die each year due to cardiac arrest. It causes immediate increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Passive smoking also poses significant health hazards to women, infants and young childrens.  Drug abuse Addiction to certain drugs such as heroin, cocaine, hashish and other powerful prescribed drugs can cause major cardiovascular complications. Habitual use of these drugs can cause severe stress on the heart which can lead to cardiac arrest, strokes and heart failure. Due to overdose of such drugs person may even die due to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Drug abuse is also associated with complications such as high heart rate, high blood pressure, cardiac seizures, impotence, respiratory failure and coma. Heart failure symptoms Heart failure is a condition in which heart does not fail completely but loses the ability to pump the blood all around the body. The heart muscles does not have enough energy to contract easily which eventually leads to the failure of left, right or both the ventricles. The symptoms generally develop as the fluid starts to accumulate in the body. For some people the condition of heart failure maybe ongoing and in some cases it may occur suddenly. Common symptoms associated with heart failure are chest pain, fatigue, swelling in the legs, arms and ankles, heavy breathing and rapid heartbeat. Immediate medical help should be given to a person suffering from heart failure otherwise it can prove to be fatal and the person may die. The symptoms for heart failure can also be classified according to left ventricle failure or right ventricle failure.

Left ventricle heart failure symptoms This condition occurs when the left ventricle of the heart fails to work efficiently y y y y y y Physical immobility Shortness of breath (Dyspnea) Fatigue Dizziness Confusion Cardiac asthma

Right ventricle heart failure symptoms This condition occurs when the right ventricle of the heart fails to work efficiently y y y y y y y y y Swelling of feet and ankles Irregular fast heartbeats Weakness Dizziness Palpitations Anemia Edema Frequent urination during night Enlarged liver

In severe cases the symptom may also include kidney failure, hyperthyroidism. Heart failure Prevention  Physical activity Physical activity not only helps to keep our heart healthy but also helps to improve mental wellbeing. Regular physical activity will help to fight against diabetes, obesity, hypertension, stress, high blood cholesterol which usually triggers many cardiovascular diseases. Meditation and relaxation techniques can calm the mind and soothe the senses. These techniques work well to overcome stress, which is one of the major factors that cause heart attack and can lead to heart failure.  Healthy diet Taking a balanced and nutritious diet is the excellent preventive measure that can be adopted against any cardiovascular diseases. Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals should be included in the daily dietary intake as they help to protect against heart diseases and some cancers. The people who are engaged in weight loss should include diet low in calories and fats. Soluble fibers such as cereals, beans, peas, lentils, citrus fruits, strawberries and apples helps to lower bad cholesterol or LDL levels. Insoluble fibers such as whole meal bread, cauliflower, beetroot and prune aids digestion and maintain

heart health. People suffering from high blood pressure should follow a low salt diet as increased salt intake pushes blood pressure higher and puts a greater strain on the heart. Magnesium rich food such as potatoes, spinach, and tofu help regulate heart activity. Stay away from foods high in saturated fats such as red meats, cheese, fried foods and butter. Including 2-3 Garlic cloves in the green salad can help to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. People suffering from heart disease should also minimize all food containing high amount of refined sugars because they also raise cholesterol and contribute to weight gain.  Physical activity Physical activity will help to control weight, blood pressure and stress. Regular physical activity will help to fight against diabetes, obesity, hypertension, stress, high blood cholesterol which usually triggers many cardiovascular diseases. Meditation and relaxation techniques can calm the mind and soothe the senses. These techniques work well to overcome stress, which is one of the major factors that cause heart attack and may even lead to heart failure.  Antioxidants Antioxidant molecules generally reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes and are widely used in dietary supplements to maintain good health. Anti-oxidants are also beneficial in preventing diseases such as cancer and coronary heart diseases. Vitamin E, selenium, carotene and gingko biloba prevent oxidation and are useful deterrents against atherosclerosis. Low levels of potassium or magnesium can cause serious heart disorders. Including bananas in the regular diet can prevent these mineral deficiencies, helping maintain a healthy regular heart beat. Keywords Heart disease, disease heart, coronary heart disease, heart, heart attack, cardiovascular, heart failure, cardiovascular diseases, coronary disease, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrest, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, cardiovascular, heart problems, LDL, HDL, cholesterol, stress, obesity, atherosclerosis, antioxidants, heart health, sudden cardiac arrest, angina, angina pectoris, cardiomyopathy, heart disease symptoms, coronary heart disease symptoms, cardiac arrest symptoms, heart attack symptoms, cardiac, diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, heart failure risk factors, heart failure symptoms, heart failure causes, heart failure definition, left ventricle heart failure, right ventricle heart failure, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, coronary heart disease symptoms, coronary heart disease risk factors, coronary heart disease definition, heart attack definition, heart attack symptoms, heart attack risk factors, heart attack causes, cardiac arrest definition, Cardiac arrest causes, cardiac arrest risk factors, cardiac arrest prevention, coronary heart disease prevention, heart attack prevention.