Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is a condition that occurs when the heart fails to function properly. When one has heart failure, the heart does not stop working, but the heart muscles are unable to pump blood properly. This condition requires immediate and timely treatment, as it would help increase the chances of long-term recovery. Without the help of any treatment, the disease can cause life-threatening complications.

Causes
Many medical conditions can cause heart failure. Some common conditions are as follows:

Coronary artery disease
Heart failure is most commonly caused due to coronary artery disease. This disease causes a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries, which reduces blood flow to the heart.

Heart attack
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, which can cause long-term damage.

High blood pressure
High blood pressure is a condition that causes the heart to work harder. This exertion can make the heart muscles stiff or weak and unable to pump blood properly.

Faulty heart valves
A damaged valve will require the heart to overwork and can weaken the heart muscles.

Cardiomyopathy
This disease causes weakness of the heart muscles and can either be inherited or caused by viral infections or pregnancy.

Congenital heart disease
Heart issues present at birth can cause the heart to work harder to pump blood, leading to heart failure.

Arrhythmias
A heart arrhythmia refers to heart rhythm problems wherein the heart beats either faster than usual, weakening the heart, or slower than usual, reducing blood flow. Both these conditions can cause heart failure.

Anemia
People with anemia may experience heart failure caused due to lack of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin or red blood cells.

Amyloidosis
In this condition, abnormal proteins accumulate in one or more organ systems. If the organ is the heart, it can lead to heart failure.

Signs
A few of the symptoms of heart failure are as follows:

• Breathlessness
  Heart failure can cause fluid to pool in the lungs, which interferes with normal breathing, resulting in shortness of breath during exercise or other activities.
• Fatigue
  Fatigue is when a general feeling of tiredness sets in when the heart cannot pump enough oxygen-rich blood to meet the body’s needs. People suffering from fatigue often have difficulty performing normal activities, such as walking or lying down.
• Rapid and irregular heartbeat
  When the heart fails, it cannot pump blood adequately throughout the body. This may speed up the heart rate, often described as a pounding sensation in the chest.
• Fluid retention and weight gain
  As less blood flows to the kidneys, it can lead to water retention. This can cause swelling of the ankles, legs, and abdomen. It may also cause weight gain.
• Chronic dry cough
  With fluid build-up in the lungs, a person may experience chronic dry cough or wheezing.

Treatment
There are treatments available that can improve the signs and symptoms of heart failure. In some cases, surgeries or other procedures for cardiac device implants may be recommended to treat the condition. Doctors may usually recommend a combination of treatments.

Surgery or other procedures
Some of the surgical procedures used to treat this condition are as follows:

• Coronary bypass surgery
  This involves creating a new pathway to improve blood flow to the heart muscle. In this procedure, healthy blood vessels from the leg, arm, or chest are connected below and above the blocked arteries in the heart to facilitate blood flow.
• Heart valve replacement
  Heart valves work to regulate the blood flow inside the heart. If a faulty valve causes heart failure, your surgeon may correct the problem surgically. Heart valve replacement may be done as open-heart surgery or through a procedure using catheters.
• Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
  To prevent further complications of heart failure, some people may need ICDs. These devices are implanted under the skin in the chest using wires leading through the veins into the heart.
• Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)
  When the lower heart chambers do not pump in sync, CRT may be needed. In this procedure, a biventricular pacemaker is used to send electrical signals to the ventricles. This helps the ventricles contract generally in sync, thereby improving heart function.
• Ventricular assist device (VAD)
  This device helps pump blood from the heart’s lower chambers to the rest of the body. The device is most frequently surgically implanted in the left ventricle.
• Heart transplant
  The only effective treatment in severe cases may be a heart transplant.

It is crucial to know that heart failure can be prevented. By engaging in regular health check-ups and making specific healthy lifestyle changes, you can reduce your risk of heart failure.