Congestive Heart Failure (CHF):
- Congestive heart failure denotes failure of heart to pump blood effectively over period of time.
- Onset of disease is slow and lasts for longer time period.
- Congestive heart failure is characterized by congestion in circulation, either in pulmonary or systemic venous or both.
- Pulmonary circulation refers to left-sided heart failure and systemic circulation refers to right-sided heart failure.
- It is also defined as failure of cardiac output to meet the requirement of body with retention of excess sodium and fluids.
Etiology:
- Any disorder of pericardium, myocardium and endocardium which results in interference of blood flow
- Rupture of valve
- Myocarditis; bacterial, viral, parasitic or toxic
- Myocardial degeneration due to nutritional deficiency or toxic causes
- Cardiac defects; ventricular or atrial septal defects, tetralogy of Fallot, patent ductus arteriosus
- Pulmonary or systemic hypertension
- Pressure load due to obstruction in outflow
- Weakness in myocardium or inference in conduction system
Pathogenesis:
