Life Expectancy for Congestive Heart Failure Disease

As with other types of medical conditions there is a continuum of mild, moderate and severe symptoms. Those patients who have mild congestive heart failure may not show symptoms unless they have an infection or anemia, which also stresses the cardiovascular system.

Doctors are able give an estimation of life expectancy for congestive heart failure disease after a physical exam and testing to determine the extent of the condition. An exam may reveal an irregular heart beat, distended neck veins, an enlarged liver or swollen legs or ankles. Blood pressure will be measured and if the doctor suspects congestive heart failure then an ultrasound will be ordered to measure the size and estimate the function.

Your life expectancy for congestive heart failure disease will increase with appropriate treatment. This treatment can include weight loss, medicating high blood pressure, decreasing salt intake, taking medication to help strengthen the heart muscle, quit smoking, get enough rest and remaining active with your doctors approval.

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to assist the heart muscle to pump stronger the doctor may prescribe different medications such as ACE inhibitors to open the blood vessels and decrease the workload on the heart. Diuretics will help your body get rid of extra fluid and salt. Digitalis will help increase the strength of the heart muscle and beta-blockers will be helpful for those persons who have a history of coronary artery disease.

During acute congestive heart failure, patients may require hospitalization and oxygen therapy. Medications delivered through an intravenous route will be necessary to support the heart and help to drain the fluid from the body so the workload on the heart is decreased.

Resources:

HealthCentral: What is the Life Expectancy for People Living with Congestive Heart Failure

http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/h/what-is-the-life-expectancy-for-people-living-with-congestive-heart-failure.html

University of Maryland Medical Center: Heart Failure

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/heart-failure

Cleveland Clinic: Heart Failure

http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/cardiology/heart-failure/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heart Failure Fact Sheet

http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_heart_failure.htm

Heart and Education: Clinical Epidemiology of Heart Failure

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1955040/