• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Covid Resource Center
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Lifestyle / Living with Heart Failure / What Is Congestive Heart Failure?

What Is Congestive Heart Failure?

congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure is a scary diagnosis nobody wants to hear, but what is the condition and how do you manage it?

Plenty of people are affected: Roughly 5.7 million Americans are living with congestive heart failure, with 670,000 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

But, in reality, having heart failure doesn’t mean that your heart will never work properly again. Just like there’s more than one reason for heart failure, there are several medical treatments available to help you live well with the condition, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

To better understand how to prevent and manage heart failure, it is important to learn what it is, its stages, symptoms, causes and treatments, and the measures you can take to help lower your risk of developing the condition.

You May Also Like
View Our Resources To Better Understand How Clinical Trials May Help Advance Research

What is congestive heart failure?

Congestive heart failure occurs when your heart muscle is too stiff, weak or damaged to pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, according to the NHLBI.

The condition can manifest itself in one of two ways. Acute heart failure comes on suddenly, while chronic heart failure develops over time. Both can lead to additional medical conditions, especially if left untreated. These include liver or kidney damage, irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest and heart valve disease.

RELATED: Day 1: Just Diagnosed with Heart Failure

What are the 4 stages of congestive heart failure?

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the four stages of congestive heart failure are:

  • Stage A: A high risk for developing heart failure is present, but there are no symptoms or structural damage to the heart.
  • Stage B: Structural damage to the heart is present with no symptoms.
  • Stage C: Both structural damage and symptoms are present.
  • Stage D: This is end-stage heart failure, which requires advanced treatment interventions such as a heart transplant.

What causes congestive heart failure?

The causes of heart failure depend on the type that you have, states the NHLBI. Most typically, the condition occurs on the left side of your heart, which pumps oxygen to the rest of your body. The measure for this pumping efficiency is known as “ejection fraction.”

You May Also Like
13 Signs You Need to See a Dermatologist

Heart attack, coronary heart disease, heart valve disease, irregular heartbeat and genetically inherited heart conditions can all cause

Continue Reading

The Latest In Living with Heart Failure

heart attack

After Misdiagnosis, Doctors Discovered Her Main Artery Was 99% Blocked

After a week of remote work in Farmington Hills, Michigan, Denise Castille was packing up her desk and preparing to leave for the airport to catch a flight back to her home in McKinney, Texas. Most of her co-workers had read more about After Misdiagnosis, Doctors Discovered Her Main Artery Was 99% Blocked
heart healthy nuts

Health in a Nutshell: 6 Ways Daily Nut Consumption Could Help Your Heart

One way to reduce the risk of heart disease: Eat more nuts and seeds, according to a new review of 60 studies. Scandinavian researchers found that eating nuts could reduce the risk of a heart attack. "If you eat a read more about Health in a Nutshell: 6 Ways Daily Nut Consumption Could Help Your Heart
low blood pressure symptoms

10 Common Symptoms Of Low Blood Pressure You Shouldn’t Ignore

There are a lot of warnings about high blood pressure and its implications, but did you know that it’s essential to pay attention to low blood pressure too? This condition is called hypotension, and it often has significant consequences for read more about 10 Common Symptoms Of Low Blood Pressure You Shouldn’t Ignore
heart healthy diet

The Secret To A Healthy Heart Is In the Kitchen

Staying healthy should be one of the top priorities in everyone’s life. Exercising, having a healthy and well-balanced diet, and making sure your mental and emotional health is better than ever are all ways that lead to a healthy life. read more about The Secret To A Healthy Heart Is In the Kitchen
water weight

Water Weight: How to Lose It for Good

Water weight. It's the bane of dieters looking to lose pounds, causing bloating, puffiness and disappointment when stepping on a scale. While a full 60% of your body is water, sometimes too much water is retained. That can make losing read more about Water Weight: How to Lose It for Good
worst habits for your heart

These 3 Habits May Be Worsening Your Heart Condition

In this lifetime, you’re going to find yourself creating many different types of habits for different situations. Some people make it a habit to take off from work on their birthday. Others may make it a habit to enjoy a read more about These 3 Habits May Be Worsening Your Heart Condition

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • Lionel Richie Shares His Top 3 ‘Anti-Aging Secrets’Lionel Richie Shares His Top 3 ‘Anti-Aging Secrets’
  • YouTuber and Relationship ‘Expert’ Kevin Samuels Cause of Death RevealedYouTuber and Relationship 'Expert' Kevin Samuels Cause of Death Revealed
  • Angela Bassett 7-Year Journey to Parenthood: Enjoy the JourneyAngela Bassett 7-Year Journey to Parenthood: Enjoy the Journey
  • ‘COVID Toes’ Might Be a Sign You Had the Disease'COVID Toes' Might Be a Sign You Had the Disease
  • Football Legend & Coach Deion Sanders Has Toes AmputatedFootball Legend & Coach Deion Sanders Has Toes Amputated

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.