CAUSES OF HEART FAILURE
Any of the following conditions can damage or weaken the heart and can cause heart failure.
Coronary artery disease and heart attack.
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Faulty heart valves
Damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)
Myocarditis
Heart defects /congenital heart defects
Abnormal heart rhythms (heart arrhythmias)
Chronic diseases — such as diabetes, HIV, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or a buildup of iron (hemochromatosis) or protein (amyloidosis) — also may contribute to heart failure.
INVESTIGATIONS IN HEART FAILURE
BLOOD TESTS : Raised levels of chemical called N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) .
Chest X-ray will shaow Cardiomegaly and Pulmonary congestion.
Electrocardiogram (ECG). This test records the electrical activity of your heart through electrodes .It will show arrythmias in CCF.
Echocardiogram. An echocardiogram measures your ejection fraction, an important measurement of how well your heart is pumping, and which is used to help classify heart failure and guide treatment.
CLASSIFICATION OF HEART FAILURE
New York Heart Association classification:
This symptom-based scale classifies heart failure in four categories.
In Class I heart failure, you don't have any symptoms.
In Class II heart failure, you can perform everyday activities without difficulty but become winded or fatigued when you exert yourself.
With Class III, you'll have trouble completing everyday activities, and Class IV is the most severe, and you're short of breath even at rest.
American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines.
This stage-based classification system uses letters A to D. The system includes a category for people who are at risk of developing heart failure.
For example, a person who has several risk factors for heart failure but no signs or symptoms of heart failure is Stage A. A person who has heart disease but no signs or symptoms of heart failure is Stage B. Someone who has heart disease and is experiencing or has experienced signs or symptoms of heart failure is Stage C. A person with advanced heart failure requiring specialized treatments is Stage D.
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