Signs That Congestive Heart Failure Is Worst
Congestive heart failure is a progressive disease, though doctors do take measures to ensure that the condition does not worsen rapidly. However, as the various organs of the body are adversely affected due to congestive heart failure, it goes without saying that with time the symptoms of the condition will worsen. Also, it is important to note that as a person suffers from signs of congestive heart failure worsening, the prognosis also worsens. |
There are many reasons for congestive heart failure and they include elevated blood pressure, coronary artery disease, faulty valves of the heart, or viral infection affecting the muscle of the heart. A person can also get congestive heart failure due to alcoholism.
In order to figure out whether congestive heart failure is worse, the person has to keep a close watch on the symptoms. The symptoms of congestive heart failure are as follows:
Shortness of breath is a frequent symptom of congestive heart failure. It occurs in all the stages of the disease and as the condition progresses, the problems in breathing become worse. This is primarily due to pulmonary edema and also due to less oxygen reaching the lungs. Initially, the shortness of breath becomes better when the person lies down, but as the condition worsens, even the lying down will not alleviate the problem and small mundane activities will cause respiratory distress.
Edema is a common problem in people suffering from congestive heart failure. This swelling is primarily seen in the ankles, feet and legs. However, when the condition worsens, the edema may extend to the abdomen region and other parts of the body. Keeping a close watch on the weight of the person will give an indication whether the condition has worsened.
As the heart is unable to pump sufficient amounts of oxygen to the various parts of the body, the person is easily fatigued with doing simple physical activities. However, as the condition worsens, the level of the fatigue also increases and even doing simple household chores like lawn mowing, sweeping and vacuum cleaning become tiring. This hampers the person's mobility and the person will find it exhausting even to walk in the house.
As mentioned earlier, that people with congestive heart failure suffer from edema. The edema also occurs in the lungs and this causes the person to have fluid in the lungs that results in coughing. When the condition worsens, it is common to see a person with congestive heart failure cough up pink colored frothy fluid.
These are some of the signs that congestive heart failure is worse than what it was before. If you notice any of these signs, you should immediately seek medical treatment.
More Articles :
|
It is estimated that there around 5 million Americans suffering from congestive heart failure and every year another half a million people are diagnosed. This condition occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficient oxygen-rich blood to meet the demands of the body. It can occur due to various reasons, like elevated blood pressure, malformed valves of the heart, weakening or stiffening of the heart muscle or diseases that demand more oxygen than the heart can supply, like anemia or hyperthyroidism.