Overview of Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive Heart Failure is when the heart's pumping power is weaker than normal. It does not mean the heart has stopped working. The blood moves through the heart and body at a slower rate, and pressure in the heart increases. This means; the heart cannot pump enough oxygen and nutrients to meet the body's needs. The chambers of the heart respond by stretching to hold more blood to pump through the body or by becoming more stiff and thickened. This only keeps the blood moving for a short while. The heart muscle walls weaken and are unable to pump as strongly. This makes the kidneys respond by causing the body to retain fluid and sodium. When the body builds up with fluids, it becomes congested. Many conditions can cause heart failure, and they are Coronary artery disease, Heart attack, Cardiomyopathy, and conditions that overwork the heart.

Systolic and Diastolic are the two types of Heart Failure. Systolic dysfunction occurs when the heart muscle doesn't contract with enough force, which means there is less oxygen-rich blood that is pumped throughout the body. Diastolic dysfunction is the heart contracts normally, but the ventricle does not relax properly, reducing the amount of blood that can enter the heart and raise the blood pressure in the lungs. Heart failure is a progressive condition and can worsen over time. There are four stages of heart failure that have been classified by the AHA and ACC. Stage A are people that are at a high risk for developing heart failure. This includes people with high blood pressure, Diabetes, coronary artery disease and metabolic syndrome. Stage A also include people with a history of alcohol abuse, cardiotoxic drug therapy, rheumatic fever, and family history of cardiomyop...

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Works Cited

Heart Failure Overview WebMD Reviewed by Thomas M. Maddox, MD on May 28, 2012 http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/heart-failure-overview

Heart Failure Symptoms WebMD Reviewed by Thomas M. Maddox, MD on May 28, 2012 http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/heart-failure-symptoms

Heart failure: Educating your patient can help prevent readmission.

Denise A. Benbow, RN, CMSRN, MSN Nursing Management

September 2009

Volume 40 Number 9 - Supplement: Med/Surg Insider

Pages 5 - 7 http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/JournalArticle?Article_ID=940643&Journal_ID=54013&Issue_ID=940640

Standardizing The Hospital Discharge Process for Patients with Heart Failure to Improve the Transition and Lower 30 day Readmission. http://www.cfmc.org/integratingcare/files/Remington%20Report%20Nov%202011%20Standardizing%20the%20Hospital%20Discharge.pdf