General Information :
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart ability to pump oxygenated blood to all of the body parts is inadequate with respect to the needs. It is a serious condition which leaves the person with short of breath and tiredness in case of exertion.

Symptoms :
The symptoms of CHF vary from individual to individual depending upon the involvement of the organs affected by the condition. A very early indicator is fatigue which although is a sensitive indicator but could be directly related to many conditions other than Congestive Heart Failure.

A very active person in the past may become inactive since his body cannot take the exertion. With increasing fluid retention, swelling (edema) of the ankles and legs or abdomen may be noticed. Fluid may also accumulate in the lungs, hence causing shortness of breath, especially while exercise and when lying flat. Sometimes the patients are awakened at night, gasping for air due to shortness of breath. Some patients have to sit upright to sleep since this is the only comfortable condition. Patients may need to urinate more with the fluid retention especially in the night. Accumulation of fluid in the liver and intestines may cause malfunctioning of related organs such as nausea, abdominal pain, and decreased appetite.

Causes :
The impaired pumping efficiency of the heart is caused by many disease processes to cause congestive heart failure. In the United States, the most common causes of CHF are coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, long alcohol use, and disorders of the heart valves. Less common causes are viral infections of the stiffening of the heart muscle, thyroid disorders, disorders of the heart rhythm etc.

Treatment :
Perhaps the most important and yet most neglected aspect of treatment involves lifestyle modifications. The patient has to restrict salt and fluid intake because of the tendency of fluid retention in the lungs and surrounding tissues. Similarly the patient is advised to limit the intake of fluids from all sources to 2 quarts.

ACE inhibitors have a remarkable effect to prevent the development of heart failure and heart attacks and for the patients with intolerance ACE inhibitors, an alternative group of drugs, called the angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), may be used.

Digoxin (Lanoxin) has been traditionally used in the treatment of congestive heart failure for hundreds of years which stimulates the heart muscle to contract more forcefully. Diuretics prevent or alleviate the symptoms of fluid retention by promoting the flow of fluid through the kidneys. Heart transplantation is also a viable treatment option in selected patients. Candidates for heart transplants are generally under age 70 and do not have severe or irreversible diseases affecting the other organs.