What is the difference between heart failure and congestive heart failure?

Actually, heart failure means that the heart isn't pumping as well as it should be. Congestive heart failure is a type of heart failure that requires seeking timely medical attention, although sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably.


Is congestive heart failure and heart failure the same thing?

Heart failure — sometimes known as congestive heart failure — occurs when the heart muscle doesn't pump blood as well as it should. When this happens, blood often backs up and fluid can build up in the lungs, causing shortness of breath.

What are the 2 types of congestive heart failure?

Types of heart failure
  • Left-sided heart failure: The left ventricle of the heart no longer pumps enough blood around the body. ...
  • Right-sided heart failure: Here the right ventricle of the heart is too weak to pump enough blood to the lungs.


What are the 3 types of heart failure?

What are the different types of heart failure?
  • Left-sided heart failure. Left-sided heart failure is the most common type of heart failure. ...
  • Right-sided heart failure. The right heart ventricle is responsible for pumping blood to your lungs to collect oxygen. ...
  • Diastolic heart failure. ...
  • Systolic heart failure.


What is life expectancy with heart failure?

Heart Failure: Quick Facts

2. About half of people who develop heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis. 3. Most people with end-stage heart failure have a life expectancy of less than 1 year.


Congestive heart failure (CHF) - systolic, diastolic, left side, right side, & symptoms



Can a person live for 20 years with congestive heart failure?

In general, about half of all people diagnosed with congestive heart failure will survive 5 years. About 30% will survive for 10 years. In patients who receive a heart transplant, about 21% of patients are alive 20 years later.

How do I know what stage of heart failure I am in?

What types of tests are used to diagnose heart failure?
  • Blood tests.
  • NT-pro B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) blood test.
  • Cardiac Catheterization.
  • Chest X-ray.
  • Echocardiogram (echo).
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG).
  • Multigated Acquisition Scan (MUGA scan).


How quickly does heart failure progress?

Symptoms can develop quickly (acute heart failure) or gradually over weeks or months (chronic heart failure).


What is the main cause of congestive heart failure?

The most common cause of congestive heart failure is coronary artery disease. Risk factors for coronary artery disease include: high levels of cholesterol and/or triglyceride in the blood.

Why is heart failure called congestive?

The extra fluid in the circulation builds up in the lungs, the liver, around the eyes, and sometimes in the legs. This is called fluid "congestion" and for this reason doctors call this "congestive heart failure".

What is the best treatment for congestive heart failure?

Treatment
  • Vasodilators expand blood vessels, ease blood flow, and reduce blood pressure.
  • Diuretics correct fluid retention.
  • Aldosterone inhibitors help with fluid retention and improve chances of living longer.
  • ACE inhibitors or ARB drugs improve heart function and life expectancy.


How do you fix congestive heart failure?

Surgery or other procedures
  1. Coronary bypass surgery. ...
  2. Heart valve repair or replacement. ...
  3. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). ...
  4. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). ...
  5. Ventricular assist devices (VADs). ...
  6. Heart transplant.


Does congestive heart failure go away?

Treatments. Although heart failure is a serious condition that progressively gets worse over time, certain cases can be reversed with treatment. Even when the heart muscle is impaired, there are a number of treatments that can relieve symptoms and stop or slow the gradual worsening of the condition.

Can a heart recover from congestive heart failure?

Heart failure does not mean that your heart is going to stop working. It means your heart muscle does not pump enough blood to meet the needs of your body. There is no cure for heart failure. Damage to your heart muscle may improve but will not go away.


What are the warning signs of congestive heart failure?

Signs of Worsening Heart Failure
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Feeling dizzy or lightheaded.
  • Weight gain of three or more pounds in one day.
  • Weight gain of five pounds in one week.
  • Unusual swelling in the legs, feet, hands, or abdomen.
  • A persistent cough or chest congestion (the cough may be dry or hacking)


Can you live a normal life with congestive heart failure?

It is possible to lead a normal life, even if you have Heart Failure. Understanding and taking control of Heart Failure is the key to success. Your doctor and healthcare providers will provide guidelines and a treatment plan. It is your responsibility to follow the treatment plan and manage your Heart Failure.

Which are two signs of worsening heart failure?

Fatigue and Activity Changes

The easiest way to know that heart failure is getting worse is you're able to do less and less. People start pacing themselves. They stop doing hobbies that involve any physical activity. They used to go fishing, but not anymore.


How do you know the end is near with congestive heart failure?

Patients in the end stages of heart failure want to know what to expect. The symptoms of end-stage congestive heart failure include dyspnea, chronic cough or wheezing, edema, nausea or lack of appetite, a high heart rate, and confusion or impaired thinking.

What is one of the first signs of heart failure?

Typical signs of heart failure include: Breathlessness or Shortness of Breath (Dyspnea) When the heart begins to fail, blood backs up in the veins attempting to carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. As fluid pools in the lungs, it interferes with normal breathing.

What are the signs of end of life with heart failure?

Signs that a patient with heart failure is near the end of life
  • pain.
  • breathlessness on minimal exertion or at rest.
  • persistent cough.
  • fatigue (extreme tiredness)
  • limited physical activity.
  • depression and anxiety.
  • constipation.
  • loss of appetite and nausea (feeling sick)


What stage of heart failure is shortness of breath?

Stage 2 of Congestive Heart Failure

Stage two of congestive heart failure will produce symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations after you participate in physical activity. As with stage one, lifestyle changes and certain medication can help improve your quality of life.

How long can you live with heart failure by age?

A report averaging several smaller studies found that people under age 65 generally had a 5-year survival rate of 78.8 percent following CHF diagnosis. The same report found that people over age 75 had an average 5-year survival rate of 49.5 percent following diagnosis.

How much water should you drink if you have congestive heart failure?

Your health care provider may ask you to lower the amount of fluids you drink: When your heart failure is not very bad, you may not have to limit your fluids too much. As your heart failure gets worse, you may need to limit fluids to 6 to 9 cups (1.5 to 2 liters) a day.


How is congestive heart failure diagnosed?

A test called an echocardiogram is often the best test to diagnose your heart failure. Your doctor can also use this test to find out why you have heart failure, and then monitor your condition going forward every three to six months.

Do oxygen levels drop with heart failure?

With heart failure, your heart becomes a weaker pump. Over time it becomes less effective at pumping oxygen-rich blood through your body. This may cause your oxygen levels to drop. When oxygen levels drop, you may become short of breath or winded.