cardiology
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Congestive heart failure is a serious but manageable condition | BY LIA TREMBLAY The heart initially compensates for this by enlarging or
Matters of the heart
you've planned. More than half a million Americans are affected by CHF.
etting a diagnosis that contains the word "fail- ure" can feel pretty bleak. But despite its ominous name, congestive heart failure (CHF) is a manage- able condition that doesn't have to ruin the life
Some are elderly, and some are just starting out in life. Most can continue living happy and productive lives with the help of medication and simple lifestyle adjustments.
What Is Congestive Heart Failure? Congestive heart failure is a condition in which the heart
isn't pumping as well as it should. That means that it isn't able to supply enough blood to the body's cells, depriving them of the oxygen and nutrients they need.
pumping faster. Blood vessels do their part by narrowing, which increases blood pressure to compensate for the loss of heart-pumping power. The body may also divert blood away from less crucial areas to ensure that major organs like the brain can get the blood they require. Those changes work for a while, but still the problem pro-
gresses. Eventually, the lack of adequate pumping leads to symptoms that get your attention.
What Are The Symptoms? Because the heart pumps blood to every part of your body,
the evidence that it is failing includes a variety of symptoms: Shortness of breath. As blood backs up in the vessels that travel from the lungs to the heart, fluid starts to leak into the
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