Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Overview

Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), your heart can not pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. Over time, conditions such as narrowing of blood vessels in the heart (coronary artery disease), or high blood pressure gradually leave your heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump efficiently.

You can not reverse many conditions that lead to heart failure, heart failure, but can often be treated with good results. Medications can improve the signs and symptoms of heart failure. Lifestyle changes such as exercise, reducing salt in your diet, stress management, depression treatment, and especially losing excess weight can improve your quality of life.

The best way to prevent heart failure is to control risk factors and conditions that cause heart failure, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes or obesity.