Heart failure may affect different patients very differently – the affected parts of the heart, the resulting symptoms and the time course of heart failure onset can vary widely. For this reason, different medical terms are used to exactly describe the different types of heart failure. It’s very important to define the type and cause of heart failure because it determines treatment. Exact diagnosis may be difficult since symptoms may be very similar, for example, all types of heart failure cause shortness of breath, fatigue and some degree of congestion, usually in the lungs but also in other parts of the body such as the liver, intestines, kidneys and lower limbs. Show
Acute heart failure develops suddenly and symptoms are initially severe. Acute heart failure may follow a heart attack, which has caused damage to an area of your heart. It may also be caused by a sudden lack of ability by the body to compensate for chronic heart failure. If you develop acute heart failure, it may be severe initially, but may only last for a short period of time and improve rapidly. It usually requires treatment and medication to be administered by injection (intravenously). Chronic heart failure is very common. Symptoms appear slowly over time and gradually get worse. If symptoms, such as shortness of breath, get worse within a very short period of time in a patient with chronic heart failure, we call this an episode of acute decompensation. These episodes often need to be treated in hospital and should therefore be avoided. Heartfailurematters.org can help you to avoid hospitalisations. Please note that heart failure may be caused or worsened by irregular heart rhythm or a fast heartbeat because this impedes proper filling of the ventricles. It’s important to detect such trigger factors in order to treat them and to avoid them in the future. Left-sided heart failure means that the power of the left heart chamber, which pumps blood throughout the body, is reduced; thus, the left chamber must work harder to pump the same amount of blood. There are two types of left-sided heart failure:
The term ejection fraction is used to describe the chambers’ strength and ability to empty with each beat. It can be measured in many ways but usually with echocardiography. If the pumping ability of the main pumping chamber is reduced, it’s often referred to as HFrEF or Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction. If the primary problem is abnormal relaxation during diastole, which impairs filling, the term HFpEF, or Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction is often used. There is often overlap between these conditions with both reduced emptying and filling. In right-sided heart failure, the right pumping chamber or ventricle, which pumps blood to the lungs, is compromised. This may be due to muscle injury, such as a heart attack localised to the right ventricle, damage to the valves in the right side of the heart or elevated pressure in the lungs. However, heart failure commonly affects both sides of the heart and is then called biventricular heart failure. OverviewCardiomyopathy (kahr-dee-o-my-OP-uh-thee) is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure. The main types of cardiomyopathy include dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Treatment — which might include medications, surgically implanted devices, heart surgery or, in severe cases, a heart transplant — depends on the type of cardiomyopathy and how serious it is. Types
SymptomsThere might be no signs or symptoms in the early stages of cardiomyopathy. But as the condition advances, signs and symptoms usually appear, including:
Signs and symptoms tend to get worse unless treated. In some people, the condition worsens quickly; in others, it might not worsen for a long time. When to see a doctorSee your health care provider if you have one or more signs or symptoms associated with cardiomyopathy. Call 911 or your local emergency number if you have severe difficulty breathing, fainting or chest pain that lasts for more than a few minutes. Some types of cardiomyopathy can be passed down through families (inherited). If you have the condition, your health care provider might recommend that your family members be checked. Sign up for free, and receive heart transplant and heart failure content, plus expertise on
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as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. CausesOften the cause of the cardiomyopathy is unknown. In some people, however, it's the result of another condition (acquired) or passed on from a parent (inherited). Certain health conditions or behaviors that can lead to acquired cardiomyopathy include:
Types of cardiomyopathy include:
Risk factorsThere are a number of things that can increase your risk of cardiomyopathy, including:
Many diseases also raise your risk of cardiomyopathy, including:
ComplicationsCardiomyopathy can lead to serious complications, including:
PreventionIn many cases, there's no prevention for cardiomyopathy. Let your health care provider know if you have a family history of the condition. You can help reduce your risk of cardiomyopathy and other types of heart disease by living a heart-healthy lifestyle, including:
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What are the 4 types of heart failure?What are the different types of heart failure?. Left-sided heart failure. Left-sided heart failure is the most common type of heart failure. ... . Right-sided heart failure. The right heart ventricle is responsible for pumping blood to your lungs to collect oxygen. ... . Diastolic heart failure. ... . Systolic heart failure.. Is there different types of heart failure?Types of Heart Failure
Systolic heart failure happens when your heart muscle doesn't squeeze with enough force. When that's the case, it pumps less oxygen-rich blood through your body. With diastolic heart failure, your heart squeezes normally, but the ventricle -- the main pumping chamber -- doesn't relax properly.
What are the 2 types of congestive heart failure?Systolic CHF - Systolic CHF occurs when the left ventricle is unable to contract with enough force to circulate blood properly. Diastolic CHF - Diastolic CHF occurs when the heart muscle becomes stiff.
How many different heart failures are there?There are four heart failure stages (Stage A, B, C and D). The stages range from "high risk of developing heart failure" to "advanced heart failure."
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