Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

What is congestive heart failure (CHF)?

CHF is a condition that develops when your heart muscle is too weak to adequately pump blood throughout your body. 

Conditions like high blood pressure and coronary artery disease can stress your heart muscle to the point that it stiffens or weakens and can no longer adequately fill with blood, leading to CHF.

Other conditions that can lead to CHF include:

• Faulty heart valves
• Damaged heart tissue
• Arrhythmias
• Congenital heart defects
• Myocarditis

CHF is a chronic health condition. However, treatment can improve heart health and ease associated symptoms.

What are CHF symptoms?

CHF symptoms vary in type and severity and can come on suddenly (acutely) or be an ongoing (chronic) problem. Common symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in your lower extremities
• Abdominal swelling
• Fatigue
• Poor appetite
• Nausea
• Rapid weight gain (fluid retention)
• Chest pain
• Coughing
• Poor tolerance of exercise and other physical activity
• Irregular heartbeat

You should seek medical care right away if you’re experiencing chest pain, an irregular heartbeat, weakness, or sudden and severe shortness of breath.

If you’ve been diagnosed with CHF and your symptoms are getting worse, contact COR Healthcare Medical Associates so they can help you develop a plan that improves your symptoms.

How is CHF diagnosed?

The team at COR Healthcare Medical Associates conducts comprehensive evaluations to diagnose CHF. During your evaluation, the team reviews your symptoms, medical and family history, and does a physical exam.

To assess heart health, the team will recommend diagnostic tests like:

• Blood work
• Chest X-ray
• CT scan
• Electrocardiogram
• Echocardiography
• Stress test
• Coronary angiogram

The information gathered during your exam and testing helps the team determine the cause of your CHF, which helps direct your treatment.

What are the treatments for CHF?

CHF is a chronic condition that requires ongoing medical care. However, your heart failure can improve with the right treatment. The team at COR Healthcare Medical Associates develop individualized treatment to manage CHF based on its underlying cause and the severity of your symptoms.

Your treatment can include various prescription medications that improve cardiac function, as well as diuretics to help decrease fluid retention. 

Depending on the cause of your CHF, surgery could be needed to correct the underlying cause like coronary artery bypass or valve replacement surgery or to place a device like an implantable cardiac defibrillator.

To schedule an evaluation with the cardiology specialists at COR Healthcare Medical Associates, call the office or select the online booking tool.