Understanding Heart Congestion & Congestive Heart Failure

Heart congestion occurs when the heart can't pump enough blood to the body's organs. Referred to as congestive heart failure, the condition can be either mild or moderate and treated with medical attention and treatment.

Causes

• Heart congestion can be the result of numerous factors, including high blood pressure, narrowed arteries, infection of the heart valves or muscles, after effects of past heart attacks or other diseases of the heart valves or muscles.

Effects

• People with congestive heart failure may easily become tired or short of breath. A back-up in blood flow can cause swelling in the body tissues, in the legs and ankles and other places. The kidneys may also retain excess water and sodium.

Treatment

• Patients diagnosed with heart congestion will frequently be placed on a stricter diet and given drugs like angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta blockers to improve blood flow and help the heart perform more easily.

Surgery

• In some cases, surgery is needed to treat heart congestion. An abnormal heart valve can be surgically replaced, and in more drastic cases, a heart transplant may be needed.

Lifestyle

• Even a heart with congestive failure will keep on pumping, and with medical treatment, rest, modified daily activities, a proper diet and prescription meds, those with heart congestion can live well.