Congestive heart failure is a disease wherein the heart is unable to pump enough blood to supply the various organs and tissues in the body.  The heart basically functions as a pumping station of blood that is needed by various parts of the body.  When this function is not running efficiently, not enough blood will reach the different parts of the body resulting to sickness and damage.

Congestive heart failure may either be systolic or diastolic in nature.  Systolic type of this disease involves inability of the heart to pump the right amount of blood to various organs and the extremities. Diastolic type of congestive heart failure meanwhile involves the heart’s inefficiency in terms of taking in or receiving blood from the other parts of the body.  For either types, the problem may be in different parts of the heart or in the coronary blood vessels.  For people who have narrowing in their coronary arteries for example, blood pressure may get elevated that it will disrupt the heart’s efficiency in supplying blood to other parts of the body. There are also cases of congestive heart failure wherein the damage is in the heart valves or heart muscles.

The most characteristic symptom of congestive heart failure is called dyspnea or difficulty in breathing.  For most people, breathing problems may occur any time of the day while at rest or doing some activity.  Some people will also experience pain the chest especially during exertion.  Other symptoms include swelling in the ankle area, muscle fatigue, and overall weakness.  In terms of treatment, the underlying cause of the disease must be determined in order to get the right medication or management.  Some people are prescribed with diuretics to promote fluid loss in the body while others will be given ACE inhibitors to control hypertension.   Some patients are also advised to restrict salt intake and do some regulated exercises to control their weight.