SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
What is congestive heart failure?
"So far we have talked about coronary artery disease with blockage of the heart vessels, valvular disease with valves being to leaky or too tight, and rhythm problems. Any heart condition that does not allow the heart to function properly will cause congestive heart failure," said Dr. Ramin Artang, Mercy Cardiology.
What happens in the body with congestive heart failure?
"When the heart is not functioning properly the blood is not traveling forward as easily and smoothly. So the blood starts to back up behind the heart. This makes the pressure in the lung circulation go up. Since this circuit is a low pressure system, as soon as the pressure goes above the certain level, fluid starts to leak out into the lung tissue. This gives a sensation of severe shortness of breath. Some call it drowning from inside," says Dr. Ramin Artang, Mercy Cardiology.
What are the symptoms of congestive heart failure?
"This can happen either very quickly within few minutes. These patients end up in a hospital pretty quick because they can't breath and need immediate attention. It can also happen gradually over weeks to months. In that case, the person will experience, weight gain because of fluid retention, shortness of breath with exertion, they can't lay flat in bed and require more pillows to keep their head up, some end up sleeping in the recliner. They may wake up in the middle of the night because of shortness of breath and need to sit up at the edge of the bed to catch their breath for a few minutes. Well Matt, So far we have talked about coronary artery disease with blockage of the heart vessels, valvular disease with valves being to leaky or too tight, and rhythm problems. Any heart condition that does not allow the heart to function properly will cause congestive heart failure," said Dr. Ramin Artang, Mercy Cardiology.
