Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Congestive heart failure is a common condition that affects about six million people in the United States. Fortunately, it’s often preventable. Cardiologist Humayun Naqvi, MD, MBA, at West Houston Heart Center in Houston, Texas, offers comprehensive cardiac care that includes the management of congestive heart failure. He also designs customized treatment strategies to prevent this disabling disease from compromising your quality of life. Schedule an evaluation today. Call the office or request an appointment online.

What is congestive heart failure?

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a chronic condition that causes your lower heart chambers (left and right ventricles) to thicken or stiffen, preventing your heart from pumping blood as well as it should. CHF most commonly affects the left ventricle but can damage both sides of the heart as it progresses.

Health complications associated with CHF include:

• Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• Heart valve dysfunction
• Sudden heart attack
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Fluid in the lungs
• Kidney damage
• Extensive swelling (edema) in the legs, feet, and abdomen
• Liver damage

There is no cure for CHF. However, careful medical management can stall its progression, especially since many conditions that lead to CHF are easily treated and even preventable.

What causes congestive heart failure?

CHF is related to conditions that weaken or damage the heart muscle, including:

• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attack
• Diabetes
• Poorly controlled hypertension
• Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
• Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart)
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
• Congenital heart defect
• Faulty heart valves
• Specific cancer treatments (chemotherapy)

Excessive alcohol or drug use, smoking, or inadequate nutrition also increase your risk of heart failure.

Can you prevent congestive heart failure?

You can’t always avoid heart failure, but you can do much to prevent the condition from developing prematurely.

CHF usually occurs in stages, ranging from pre-heart failure risk factors such as poorly managed diabetes to advanced symptoms of disabling fatigue and shortness of breath that don’t improve with treatment. The key to prevention is addressing risk factors before they weaken your heart muscle.

Dr. Naqvi offers comprehensive cardiac care at West Houston Heart Center, including advanced technology and commonsense preventive guidelines to support heart health throughout your life. Following an initial evaluation, Dr. Naqvi may recommend further studies to identify cardiac concerns and customize your treatment strategy.

For instance, if you are at risk for CHF, he may recommend an in-office echocardiogram as part of a cardiac evaluation. An echocardiogram is a quick and painless diagnostic study that uses ultrasound technology to assess your heart’s pumping action (ejection fraction). The results can identify the warning signs of heart failure.

Schedule your evaluation today by calling the West Houston Heart Center or requesting an appointment using their convenient online service.