While this is a scary term that at first sound makes it seem like the heart has given out and is no longer working at all, which of course would mean immediate death, Congestive heart failure while it does require immediate medical attention does not at all mean certain demise. It is not the same as a heart attack. It is any condition where the heart is not working properly. 1 in 5 Americans will develop this condition in their lifetime.

The heart is the core of your body. Its ability to pump blood to the rest of the body, oxygenating and nourishing cells. Heart failure describes the state of a weakened heart. A weak heart is unable to supply your cells with enough blood.

The results are a feeling of overwhelming tiredness, shortness of breath and even coughing. If you have congestive heart failure even mundane tasks like vacuuming or grocery shopping can be utterly exhausting.

While there is no known cure for heart failure, it can be managed through lifestyle changes and medication.

The heart will try and offset the lack of strength in a number of ways:

Pumping faster – in trying to increase the output back to normal levels it will work faster than usual.

Enlarging – Your heart will stretch to try and keep up with the demand. Over time it can lead to an actual enlargement if the heart itself, even building more muscle fibers.

Narrowing of blood vessels – the vessels may narrow in an attempt to push the blood more expediently.

Diversion – the body will try and divert blood from “less vital” organs such as kidneys or liver in order to keep the flow to the heart and the brain.

Though all of these can help to temporarily band-aid the symptoms, these stop-gap measures wear on the heart and the body over time. Eventually, the heart cannot keep up with need. This is when you experience fatigue, pulmonary issues and other symptoms that will require medical care.

It is important to get regular check-ups. The sooner a heart issue is noticed, the better the treatment options are able to boost your outcome.

If you are in the Tampa, Florida area or surrounding areas please give Tampa Cardiovascular Associates a call to schedule a checkup. www.tampacardio.com 813-975-2800.