Heart failure
What is heart failure? Heart
failure occurs when your heart muscle doesn't pump as much blood as the body
needs. Failure doesn't mean that the heart has stopped pumping but rather that
it is failing to pump as effectively as it should.
The body tries to compensate for the reduced pumping
ability of your heart by:
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Retaining salt and water to increase the amount of
blood in your bloodstream.
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Increasing your heart rate.
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Increasing the size of your heart.
See an illustration of an enlarged heart . The medical
term for enlarged heart is cardiomegaly.
Over time, these efforts to compensate for reduced heart
function actually decrease heart function and worsen heart failure. Initially,
insufficient blood supply can lead to fatigue, weakness, and lightheadedness.
Eventually, blood starts to back up into the veins leading to the heart. This
causes fluid buildup in your lungs and other parts of your body, resulting in
shortness of breath and other symptoms of heart failure.
How do we compare? Experts agree
on the following ways to treat heart failure. Click on the links below to see
how WellSpan compares to other providers in these treatments.