Heart failure:
Heart failure is a condition that occurs when the heart cannot pump or fill with enough blood,
and is unable to pump enough blood through to meet the body's needs for blood and oxygen.
Basically, the heart can't keep up with its demand.
The term "heart failure" is misleading because the heart does not completely fail or stop.
Heart failure can involve the heart's left side, right side or both sides.
Two types of heart failure:
chronic, meaning it happens slowly over time
acute, meaning it happens suddenly.
Heart failure can be mild and cause minor symptoms, or it may be severe or even life -
threatening.
Signs & Symptoms:
shortness of breath
increasingly feeling tired
leg swelling or stomach swelling
everyday activities such as walking,
climbing stairs or carrying groceries can become very difficult.
Left-sided heart failure
The heart's pumping action moves oxygen-rich blood as it travels from the lungs to the left
atrium, then on to the left ventricle, which pumps it to the rest of the body. The left ventricle
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