HomeChest Pain Information CenterHeart Information Center

What is the Mortality Rate For Congestive Heart Failure?

If we are to believe about the statistics provided by the American Association for Heart, nearly 6 million Americans alone are suffering from heart failure. Out of these, 55,000 deaths are due to a sudden heart attack caused due to abnormal rhythm produced by the heart.

We describe heart failure as an act where the functionality of the heart is deteriorating over the period. It means that it is unable to pump the required blood necessary for the body, making it difficult for several tissue and organs in the body to function appropriately. Although the body functions, the situation leads to stress on the heart, leading to heart failure at any moment.

The mortality rate for congestive heart failure is significant even with the advancement in the medical field. The reason is that doctors are delaying the inevitable. There is no proper cure for the ailment at present. According to specialists, there is plenty of work to be done to offer a cure for heart failure. Those above 60 years old have a high rate of suffering from the illness. As there is no cure, making lifestyle changes and following a strict diet helps in delaying the progress.
Several reasons are responsible for the occurrence of heart failure, which are:

Coronary Artery Disease – it is a condition where the arteries become narrowed or clogged making it tough for the heart to receive the appropriate nutrients and oxygen. It further makes it difficult to allow passage of the blood pumped by the heart.

Heart Attack – heart attack occurs due to sudden clogging of the coronary artery. A heart attack damages the heart muscle, making it impossible for it to function in its appropriate manner.

Cardiomyopathy – the occurrence of the disease is because of alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and infections.

A Circumstance That Causes Overwork Of The Heart – high blood pressure, valve disease, kidney disease, diabetes, thyroid glands, and heart defects from birth are a few conditions that result in heart failure.

Symptoms Faced

It will be difficult for a patient to notice the presence of symptoms. However, they are mild and can become severe within no time. They remain consistent or see gradual growth. Symptoms include:

Congested lungs
Fluid and water retention
Fatigue
Dizziness
Weakness
Increased palpitations.

You can experience only one or two, or all of the symptoms at any time. It depends on the overall health of the patient, the age, gender, underlying conditions, and treatments.

Types of Congestive Heart Failure

The two essential types of congestive heart failure are:

Systolic Dysfunction – it is a condition where the heart muscle does not contract according to the needed force. Due to this, the individual receives reduced oxygen content, making it difficult for the body to gain enough blood and oxygen passage.

Diastolic Dysfunction – although the muscles contract normally, the ventricles do not relax as they should which leads to less entrance of blood into the heart during standard filling.

An echocardiogram is a helpful procedure, as it is capable of recording the functionality of the heart and calculates the amount of blood pumped for every beat. It will help the specialist to determine whether it is systolic or diastolic. Depending on the symptoms, reports, and other factors, provide detailed insight into the situation, which further helps the doctor to give the required treatment.

Diagnosing Congestive Heart Failure

The doctor will ask a series of questions to understand the condition of congestive heart failure. Along with the physical examination, which provides details about the heart rhythm, the doctor considers symptoms explained and diagnostic reports to arrive at a conclusion.

Also Read:

What is the Mortality Rate For Congestive Heart Failure?