Congestive Heart Failure (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Congestive Heart Failure Overview
- Congestive Heart Failure Causes
- Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Congestive Heart Failure Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Therapy
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Support Groups and Counseling
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Multimedia
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Viewer Comments: Congestive Heart Failure - Symptoms Experienced
Prevention
Congestive heart failure can be the ultimate result of a number of diseases, or lifestyle choices, that damage the heart. Some of these can be prevented. Others cannot be prevented but can be treated successfully.
Some examples of illnesses or lifestyle choices that can lead to congestive heart failure are as follows:
- Coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease),
including heart attack
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Uncontrolled high cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Congenital heart disease (a heart condition that one
is born with)
- Infection (particularly some common viruses that can
rarely severely affect the heart and cannot be reliably predicted or
prevented)
- Damage to the heart valves (possibly from IV drug
use)
- Alcoholism
- Smoking
If you have congestive heart failure, you are at increased risk of developing pneumonia. You probably should receive both the pneumonia vaccination and annual flu shots. Ask your health care provider to be sure.
Next: Outlook »
Viewer Comments & Reviews
Congestive Heart Failure - Symptoms Experienced
For congestive heart failure, what were the symptoms and signs you experienced?
| Printer-Friendly Format | | | Email to a Friend |
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Heart Failure Resources
- High Cholesterol: Tips to Protect Yourself
- Lowering Your Cholesterol: Doing Enough?
- Is There a Mouth-Heart Connection?
Featured Centers
- 12 Ways to Prevent the Spread of Viruses
- 10 Surprising Benefits of Treating Depression
- Healthy Home: To Buy or Not to Buy Organic?
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Heart Failure »
Heart failure is the pathophysiologic state in which the heart, via an abnormality of cardiac function (detectable or not), fails to pump blood at a rate commensurate with the requirements of the metabolizing tissues and/or pumps only from an abnormally elevated diastolic filling pressure.
Featured Topics
Explore 80+ Centers
- Allergy
- Allergy Medications
- Anaphylaxis
- Antidepressants
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Baby's Health
- Back, Neck, Head Injury
- Bioterrorism, Warfare
- Blood, Lymphatic System
- Bone, Joint, Muscle
- Brain, Nervous System
- Breathing Difficulties
- Burns
- Camping
- Cancer, Tumors
- Children's Health
- Cholesterol
- Cold and Flu
- CPR, Choking
- Cuts, Scrapes, Bruises
- Dementia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Diabetic Coma, Insulin Shock
- Digestive System
- Dislocations
- Drowning
- Drug Overdose
- Ear, Nose, Throat
- Emotional Wellness
- Endocrine System
- Environmental Injuries
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Exercise, Nutrition
- Eye, Vision
- Fainting
- Fever
- First Aid, Emergency
- First Aid Kits
- Food Poisoning
- Foreign Bodies
- Fractures, Broken Bones
- Glaucoma
- Headache
- Health, Medical
- Heartburn, GERD, Reflux
- Heart, Blood Vessels
- Heart Attack
- Hepatitis
- Immune System
- Incontinence
- Infections
- Kidneys, Urinary System
- Lung, Airway
- Medications
- Men's Health
- Mental Health, Behavior
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Nosebleeds
- Osteoporosis
- Outdoor Living
- Overexposure
- Poisoning
- Procedures
- Psoriasis
- Public Health
- Scuba Diving, Swimming
- Seizures
- Senior Health
- Shock
- Skin, Hair, Nails
- Sleep Disorders
- Social, Family Health
- Sports Injury
- Sprains, Strains
- Statins
- STDs
- Substance Abuse
- Teen Health
- Teeth, Mouth, Oral Health
- Weight Management
- Wilderness Emergencies
- Women's Health
- Wounds


