Heart failure, or congestive heart disease to some, is a condition in which your heart is unable to pump blood properly to various parts of the body and with the efficiency that it should generally have. Specific circumstances, such as the presence of narrowed or slim arteries within your heart, as well as high blood pressure, can gradually cause your heart to become too stiff or weak to pump as it should.

The important thing to remember about congestive heart disease is that although it is not always possible to reverse the conditions that lead to heart failure, there are a range of treatments and solutions that can help to keep your heart as healthy as possible, and potentially ensure that you live longer. Changes to your lifestyle, such as reducing the amount of salt in your diet, exercising to lose weight, and reducing your exposure to stress can all help in improving your life quality.

Looking at the Signs of Congestive Heart Disease:

Of course, one of the best ways to prevent heart failure is to recognize the signs of congestive heart disease. In some cases, heart failure might occur as an acute condition, where in the problem starts suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, or as a chronic condition, which is when you suffer from ongoing heart complications.

The signs of congestive heart disease and congestive heart failure might include:

– Trouble breathing or shortness of breath when you lie down or exert yourself

– Frequent periods of weakness and fatigue

– Swelling throughout the feet, ankles, and legs

– Reduced ability to exercise

– Rapid or irregular heartbeat

– Persistent wheezing or coughing, with pink or blood-tinged phlegm

– Frequent need to urinate at night

– Problems with nausea and appetite

– Sudden weight gain as a result of fluid retention

– Irregular or rapid heartbeat associated with chest pain or shortness of breath

– Weakness or fatigue

Pinpointing the Signs of Congestive Heart Disease:

Though these symptoms and signs may be linked to heart disease and heart failure, it’s important to remember that there are plenty of other conditions that they could be linked to them. It’s crucial that you do not attempt to diagnose yourself, but instead seek help from a professional who can evaluate your situation in depth. Most of the time, a doctor will be able to look at your symptoms and your medical history and give you an insight into what might be causing the pain in your chest or the other symptoms that you might have linked to congestive heart disease. You should never simply ignore the feelings that you are having, as sometimes even if they are not a sign of congestive heart disease, they could be a sign of other equally threatening problems.

If you already have a diagnosis of heart failure, and if the symptoms that you experience suddenly start to get worse, or you develop a new symptom or sign, this could mean that the heart failure is not responding to treatment or is getting worse, so you will need to seek help.