Congestive Heart Failure

Heart Failure is a deterioration of the heart's capacity to effectively pump blood throughout the body. The decline in the heart's efficiency triggers the body to make an attempt to correct the imbalance. Further deterioration over time leads to greater imbalances and greater declines of blood flow. Eventually blood coming into the heart from the lungs may "back up," causing fluid to leak into the lungs resulting in a patient having difficulty breathing. Also, as the heart's ability to pump decreases, blood flow slows, causing fluid to build-up in tissues throughout the body. This excess fluid throughout the body is called "congestion" and explains the term congestive heart failure, or CHF.

The downward progression of CHF can take years. Patients with CHF can have periods that are generally better and worse, but over time health will gradually worsen.