Heart Failure Care

Heart failure, sometimes called congestive heart failure, is a chronic (long-term) condition caused by the inability of the heart to pump as much blood as the body needs.

Heart failure is a weakening of the heart’s pumping power. With heart failure, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen and nutrients to meet its needs. Your heart tries to pump more blood, but the muscle walls become weaker over time.

Symptoms of heart failure may include:

• shortness of breath from fluid in the lungs
• swelling (such as in legs, ankles or abdomen)
• dizziness
• fatigue
• weakness
• cold or clammy skin
• a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

Heart failure can be a result of heart condition due to:

• hardening of the arteries, also known as coronary artery disease,
• a heart attack,
• cardiomyopathy (heart muscle damage from infection or alcohol or drug abuse), or
• an overworked heart (caused over time by conditions like high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, or a defect from birth).

Heart failure becomes more common with age and causes symptoms such as shortness of breath and a build-up of fluid in the feet and legs. Heart failure is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization. A healthy lifestyle and proper medications can reduce the effects of heart failure and the need for future hospitalization. These indicators examine how well we manage the care of patients hospitalized for heart failure.

More information about heart health is available at:

• American Heart Association's website http://www.americanheart.org
• National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health website www.medlineplus.gov