Maybe someone you love was recently diagnosed withheart failureor your doctor warned you about it during a recent checkup.
Heres everything you better know about this condition, including what causes heart failure in the first place.
Your heart has a big job: pumping oxygen and nutrients to all of your organs.
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The condition can involve the left, right, or both sides of your heart.
Right-sided heart failure usually occurs as a result of left-sided heart failure.
(When both sides are affected, the condition is called biventricular heart failure.)
What are the main causes and risk factors of heart failure?
Heart failure can happen any time the heart is severely strained or damaged.
Over time, coronary artery disease can weaken the heart muscle, which can lead to heart failure.
Over time,high blood sugarcan lead to complications such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
Medically known ashypertension, high blood pressure is used to describe the force of blood against artery walls.
Aheart attackoccurs when the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart is severely reduced or blocked.
The heart muscle needs oxygen to live, Dr. Ahmad explains.
There are numerous types of CHDs; some may be minor, while others can negatively affect blood flow.
The immune system fends off viruses by triggering inflammation throughout the body.
In rare cases, that inflammation can occur in the heart muscle, causing serious damage.
This is calledmyocarditis, and it most often leads to left-sided heart failure.
Infections can also affect the heart more directly.
Generally, this happens when people already have heart damage.
Sometimes, theheart valveshave a hard time opening and closing.
(For example, your heart rate generally declines while you sleep.)
The heart chambers get bigger and the heart gets weaker, decreasing blood flow and oxygen to other organs.
Talk to your doctor to understand your personal risk of taking these medications.
Who is most at risk for heart failure?
Theres no doubt that heart failure can be serious.
