What is Congestive Heart Failure?

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a clinical syndrome that affects over 6 million American adults, characterized by the heart's inability to pump sufficient blood to meet the body's needs.

This leads to accumulation of blood and fluid in the lungs, limbs, and other organs, making physical activity and breathing more challenging. CHF is typically progressive, and early detection and management are key to improving outcomes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CHF accounted for 1 million hospitalizations in 2010, predominantly in people aged 65 and older.

Guideline Update: The latest guidelines emphasize the importance of early intervention in high-risk patients and optimal medical therapy to reduce hospitalization rates and improve survival.

A Deep Dive into Congestive Heart Failure

What Are The Types?

CHF can affect the pumping chambers (ventricles) on the left, right or both sides of the heart.

• Left-sided CHF is divided into two main subtypes. 
  • Diastolic CHF occurs when the left ventricle muscle thickens and becomes stiff, so it does not relax and fill with blood normally.
  • Systolic CHF occurs when the left ventricle muscle becomes thin and stretched, so it does not contract and pump out blood with normal force.
• Right-sided CHF occurs when the right ventricle does not pump enough blood to the lungs. 
• Biventricular CHF involves problems with both the left and right ventricles.

What Are the Causes?

Most often, CHF is caused by health conditions that place excess stress on the heart, such as:

• Arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat).
• Coronary artery disease.
• Diabetes.
• Heart valve disease.
• High blood pressure.
• Kidney disease.
• Thyroid disorders.

What Are the Stages?

CHF can progress through the following four stages:

• Stage A: high risk of CHF but no structural heart disease or symptoms.
• Stage B: structural heart disease but no symptoms.
• Stage C: structural heart disease and symptoms of CHF.
• Stage D: refractory (treatment resistant) CHF that requires specialized. treatment

CHF is further categorized by measures of heart function. The first measurement is primarily ejection fraction, or how much blood is pumped out with each heartbeat. The second measurement is the severity of symptoms in relation to physical activity.