Congestive Heart Failure - Research Paper Example

Congestive heart failure Introduction Congestive heart failure is a leading cause of hospitalization for many people, especiallyfor the people older than 65 years, with the global population diagnosed with this condition reaching over 670,000 annually (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p.). Congestive heart failure refers to a condition in which the ability of the heart to function as a pump is inadequate to meet the needs of the body, despite the fact that the heart has not stopped functioning, only that its power to pump blood is weaker than normal, and that it pumps blood slowly, making the blood flow throughout the body at a slow rate, while pressure builds up and increases in the heart (Bui, Horwich and Fonarow, 33). The slowed rate of flow of blood within the body means that it is not possible to pump adequate oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body, thus the excretory system operating through the kidney retains more water and salts in the body, owing to the shortage of nutrients flowing through the blood (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p). This situation causes the heart chambers to stretch more in order to hold more blood for pumping throughout the body, which may assist to increase the blood pumped into the blood, but eventually the heart muscles weaken. The weakening of the heart muscles, coupled with retained fluids in the rest of the body organs such as the lungs, feet, arms, legs and ankles, resulting to the congestion of the body, which is the actual condition referred to as Congestive heart failure (Remme and Swedberg, 1527). Etiology The origin of Congestive heart failure is the increased rate of heart beat, coupled with the expansion of the heart muscles, so that the heart expands more and beats faster than usual, in an attempt to compensate for the slow rate of blood flow in the body (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p). The increased contractions and heart rate in turn allows for less time for the heart to refill, once it has pumped the blood out, thus straining the heart muscles which then increases the demand for more oxygen (Bui, Horwich and Fonarow, 37). The consequence is an erratic heart rhythm, which constitutes the Congestive heart failure. The causes of Congestive heart failure includes Coronary artery disease, which refers to the obstruction of the coronary artery, which in turn results to heart tissues being deprived of sufficient oxygen, thus resulting into heart attack that causes damage to the heart muscles, leading to Congestive heart failure (Jessup et al, 1985). Additionally, Valvular heart disease which causes the reduced size of the heart valves, or the Heart muscle injury which is caused by viral infections or the excess accumulation of alcohol in blood; may reduce the hearts ability to pump blood, thus causing Heart muscle injury (Remme and Swedberg, 1532). Other conditions that overwork the heart, such as high blood pressure and anemia may result to heart muscle injury, due to increased high demand for oxygen caused by such conditions, causing the heart to overwork and damage the heart muscles, which eventually reduces its ability to pump blood (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p). Finally, the thickening of the tissues surrounding the heart, commonly referred to as pericardium, or the accumulation of excessive tissues that are more fibrous in the heart muscles, may restrict entry of blood into the heart, thus reducing its ability to pump blood, and consequently cause Congestive heart failure (Jessup et al, 1979). Epidemiology Congestive heart failure is the major cause of hospitalization of individuals who are above the age of 65 globally (Remme and Swedberg, 1529). It is associated with high expenditures, related with the high costs of hospitalization and the specialized attention needed, thus costing a substantial percentage of the health budgets in most countries, with the UK spending 2% of the overall health budget on this condition treatment and control, while the USA spend 35 billion, annually (Jessup et al, 1987). In the developing countries, the Congestive heart failure accounts for the hospitalization of between 20 and 30% of the old population above the age of 70 years (Jessup et al, 1993). Globally, over 20 million people have suffered this condition, and the prevalence seems to be increasing, due to the increased life span, as well as the increase in the risk factors, and in the United States, over 500,00 thousand cases are diagnosed annually (Bui, Horwich and Fonarow, 31). Among the most affected ethnicities in the USA include the African Americans, the Hispanics and the Native Americans, with the trend often associated with high rates of diabetes and hypertension amongst the ethnicities (Jessup et al, 2007). The male sex tends to have a high rate of prevalence of the Congestive heart failure than the female, but the difference is so small, to be noted. Pathophysiology There are several functional changes that are associated with the occurrence of the Congestive heart failure, which include the decrease of muscle contraction intrinsically. The pressure in the heart is significantly increased resulting to pulmonary congestion and the dysfunction of the heart rhythms (Remme and Swedberg, 1545). Additionally, there is an increased vascular resistance, which in turn impacts on the heart through reducing the cardiac output, and thus decreasing the rate of flow of blood and consequent pooling of fluids in the different muscles of the body (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p). Finally, there is an increase in heart rate, accompanied with an imbalanced demand and supply of oxygen , accompanied by increased heart expansion, to accommodate more blood for subsequent pumping, thus increasing wall tension in the heart and consequently causing damage to the walls and muscles, resulting to heart dysfunction (Remme and Swedberg, 1544). Clinical Manifestation and Diagnosis The Clinical Manifestation of Congestive heart failure include excessive coughing, general weakness and fatigue, accompanied by swelling of various muscles and joints in the arms, feet, legs, as well as loss of appetite, shortness of breath and irregular heartbeats (Jessup et al, 2015). In addition, palpitations and swelling of the liver and/or stomach and episodes of breathlessness are manifestations that an individual could be suffering from Congestive heart failure (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p). The diagnosis of this condition entails examining the patient for either fast or difficult breathing, swelling of the muscles and joints, as well as sticking out of the neck veins (Remme and Swedberg, 1560). Further, there will be testing of crackle sounds from the lungs using a stethoscope, while also assessing the uneven heartbeats and swelling of the lungs and abdomen. An echocardiogram is applied to test for heart failure, while further imaging tests and blood tests are undertaken to assess how well the heart can pump blood, monitor and identify risks of heart failure, while determining the causes (Bui, Horwich and Fonarow, 41). Risks and Complications Aging is a risk factor for Congestive heart failure, but accompanying stress or health conditions that increasingly works the heart too hard, such as diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease adds to this risk (Jessup et al, 1978). Other risk factors include lifestyle conditions such as smoking, excessive alcohol intake, overweight and obese body, as well as eating lots of fats and high quantities of cholesterol, in addition to physical inactivity (Remme and Swedberg, 1558). The complications of Congestive heart failure arises especially in circumstances where the patient has heart attack, fails to take medication appropriately or has had previous or is currently suffering from other heart, lung or kidney diseases, which makes the blood circulation, the supply of oxygen and nutrients, as well as the removal of wastes from the body more difficult (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p). All these can result to a severe condition of heart failure, where the treatment of the condition can no longer work, and further specialized medical assistance such as heart surgery and transplant, becomes necessary. Prevention & Treatment of Heart Failure The preventative measures for Congestive heart failure entails adapting health lifestyle which includes avoiding smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol, as well as treatment of other conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, in good time (Bui, Horwich and Fonarow, 39). Further, engaging in active physical activity and treating obesity are helpful preventative measures. The treatment of Congestive heart failure includes medication and lifestyle changes, where the condition is not severe, but further treatment is necessary, which may include surgery and heart transplant, under circumstances where the heart tissues, vessels and mussels are substantially damaged (Jessup et al, 2014). Prognosis Congestive heart failure can be controlled through treating conditions that causes it, taking medicine and changing lifestyles (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p). It can suddenly get worse through eating more salty foods and heart attack, in addition to infections, but it is a chronic disease that most often gets worse over time, and as such, treatment can no longer work (Jessup et al, 1996). Due to the dangers of heart failure, people suffering from this condition often receive implanted defibrillators. New studies and further information A new study on Congenital heart failure interventions, undertaken to asses the safety and efficacy of myocardial revascularization has proved that patients who have a large capacity for viable myocardium has low chances of benefiting from the normal Congenital heart failure interventions, but portrays a high potential for benefiting from myocardial revascularization (McMurray and Pfeffer, n.p.). However, the study is still ongoing, to determine the practicality of this new Congenital heart failure intervention, and how it can improve on the treatment of the condition. Works Cited Bui, AL, Horwich, TB and Fonarow, GC. "Epidemiology and risk profile of heart failure.” Nature Reviews Cardiology 8, 1 (2011): 30–41. Print. Jessup M, et al. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure in Adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines: developed in collaboration with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Circulation 14, 119 (2009): 1977-2016. Print. McMurray, John and Pfeffer, Marc A. Clinical Cardiology: New Frontiers New Therapeutic Options in Congestive Heart Failure Part II. American Heart Association, Inc., 2013. Retrieved: November 26, 2013 from http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/105/18/2223.full Remme WJ, Swedberg K. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic heart failure. European Heart Journal 22 (2001): 1527–1560. Print. Read More