Heart Failure
Heart failure is a condition in which your heart is unable to pump the full amount of blood your body needs.
An estimated 6.2 million adults in the U.S. are living with heart failure. Here’s what you need to know and how to request an appointment with Hunterdon Cardiovascular Associates if you need help managing your heart health.
What Is Heart Failure?
Heart failure, also known as cardiac failure, is a condition in which the heart muscle has lost some of its pumping strength and can only pump a fraction of blood into circulation during every heartbeat. This makes it difficult for your organs to receive the amount of blood and oxygen needed to function properly and efficiently.
Left-sided heart failure can be systolic or diastolic, and each of these types represents about 50% of cases. In systolic heart failure, the left ventricle cannot contract normally and the heart muscle is weak to the point it is unable to push enough blood into circulation. In diastolic heart failure, the heart muscle is stiff and prevents the left ventricle from being able to relax normally.
In some instances, left-sided heart failure may lead to right-sided heart failure. When the heart muscle is unable to push out an adequate amount of blood, increased fluid pressure transfers back through the lungs to damage the right side of the heart.
Heart failure that worsens may lead to a chronic condition known as congestive heart failure—or congestive heart disease. With this condition, blood and other fluids build up in the lungs, extremities, and other organs to cause complications, including organ damage and sudden cardiac arrest.
If you are living with heart failure, treatment is essential to improving your quality of life and extending your lifespan.
