Life Expectancy for Congestive Heart Failure Disease

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a life threatening condition. The heart can no longer pump enough blood through the rest of the body. This is a chronic, long-term condition although it can develop suddenly.

When people are first diagnosed they often look for the life expectancy for congestive heart failure disease. Even several years ago the life expectancy was about five years. But with recent advances in medical treatments this number has risen. Congestive heart failure can affect the right or left side of the heart or both. As the heart pump loses efficiency blood will back up into other areas such as the liver, lower legs and lungs. The blood that has backed up is low in oxygen, which damages the tissue in these organs. This damage reduces their ability to function well.

The most common causes of congestive heart failure are high blood pressure or coronary artery disease and heart muscle damage. For instance, if you have had a heart attack and part of your heart muscle has been damaged the pump no longer works as efficiently.

Another factor in the life expectancy for congestive heart failure disease is the age at which the disease is first diagnosed. This condition is more common in people of advanced years or people who are morbidly obese, have diabetes, smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol or use cocaine.

There are symptoms of congestive heart failure which will clue you and your doctor that there is a condition which requires evaluation and treatment. You may notice weight gain (most often from increased fluid retention) or swollen feet and ankles. Even your abdomen (stomach) can swell from fluid build up. You may lose your appetite or become nauseated and vomit. More commonly people experience shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping without pillows to elevate their heads, fatigue, or an irregular pulse. A chronic cough and the need to urinate during the night are also symptoms.

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/