1. Heart Disease (Coronary Artery Disease) Slideshow Pictures
2. Slideshow: Atrial Fibrillation Causes, Tests, and Treatment
3. Take the Heart Disease Quiz!

Medical Author:

Terrence X O'Brien, MD, FACC

Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

View Full Profile

The treatment of heart failure depends on the exact cause, but it can usually be treated effectively. The overall goals are to correct underlying causes, to relieve symptoms, and to prevent worsening of the condition. Symptoms are relieved by removing excess fluid from the body, improving blood flow, improving heart muscle function, and increasing delivery of oxygen to the body tissues. This can be done by the various congestive heart failure treatments listed in the following sections.

Medical Treatment

If the underlying cause of heart failure is not correctible by surgery or catheterization procedures, medical treatment is composed of lifestyle changes and medications.

• Lifestyle changes recommended by your health care provider can help relieve symptoms, slow the progression of heart failure, and improve one's quality of life. Lifestyle changes that may be helpful in preventing or relieving heart failure include those recommended by the American Heart Association and other organizations as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. See Congestive Heart Failure Diet and Lifestyle Changes for more information.
• Medications (see below) help control both the underlying causes of heart failure and the symptoms. Medications are the most critical part of therapy for heart failure. Usually, several types of medications are required to address as many of the physiologic imbalances as possible.

Must Read Articles Related to Congestive Heart Failure

Ascites Ascites is an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity (abdominal cavity). The primary cause of ascites is liver disease such as cirrhosis, acute liver fa...learn more >>

Atrial Fibrillation Atrial fibrillation (A fib) describes a rapid, irregular heart rhythm. The irregular rhythm, or arrhythmia, results from abnormal electrical impulses in the hea...learn more >>

Atrial Flutter Atrial flutter is an abnormality in the beating of the heart. Such abnormalities, whether in rhythm of heartbeat or speed of heartbeat, are known as arrhythmias...learn more >>

See the Entire Congestive Heart Failure Topic Guide »