Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-failure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373142
Heart failure can be caused by a weakened, damaged or stiff heart.
• If the heart is damaged or weakened, the heart chambers may stretch and get bigger. The heart can't pump out the needed amount of blood.
• If the main pumping chambers of the heart, called the ventricles, are stiff, they can't fill with enough blood between beats.
The heart muscle can be damaged by certain infections, heavy alcohol use, illegal drug use and some chemotherapy medicines. Your genes also can play a role.
Any of the following conditions also can damage or weaken the heart and cause heart failure.
• Coronary artery disease and heart attack. Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart failure. The disease results from the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries. The deposits narrow the arteries. This reduces blood flow and can lead to heart attack.
A heart attack occurs suddenly when an artery feeding the heart becomes completely blocked. Damage to the heart muscle from a heart attack may mean that the heart can no longer pump as well as it should.
• High blood pressure. Also called hypertension, this condition forces the heart to work harder than it should to pump blood through the body. Over time, the extra work can make the heart muscle too stiff or too weak to properly pump blood.
• Heart valve disease. The valves of the heart keep blood flowing the right way. If a valve isn't working properly, the heart must work harder to pump blood. This can weaken the heart over time. Treating some types of heart valve problems may reverse heart failure.
• Inflammation of the heart muscle, also called myocarditis. Myocarditis is most commonly caused by a virus, including the COVID-19 virus, and can lead to left-sided heart failure.
• A heart problem that you're born with, also called a congenital heart defect. If the heart and its chambers or valves haven't formed correctly, the other parts of the heart have to work harder to pump blood. This may lead to heart failure.
• Irregular heart rhythms, called arrhythmias. Irregular heart rhythms may cause the heart to beat too fast, creating extra work for the heart. A slow heartbeat also may lead to heart failure. Treating an irregular heart rhythm may reverse heart failure in some people.
• Other diseases. Some long-term diseases may contribute to chronic heart failure. Examples are diabetes, HIV infection, an overactive or underactive thyroid, or a buildup of iron or protein.
Causes of sudden heart failure also include:
• Allergic reactions.
• Any illness that affects the whole body.
• Blood clots in the lungs.
• Severe infections.
• Use of certain medicines.
• Viruses that attack the heart muscle.
Heart failure usually begins with the lower left heart chamber, called the left ventricle. This is the heart's main pumping chamber. But heart failure also can affect the right side. The lower right heart chamber is called the right ventricle. Sometimes heart failure affects both sides of the heart.
Type of heart failureDescription
Right-sided heart failureThis type affects the lower right heart chamber, called the right ventricle. Fluid may back up into the belly, legs and feet, causing swelling.
Left-sided heart failureThis type affects the lower left heart chamber, called the left ventricle. Fluid may back up in the lungs, causing shortness of breath.
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), also called systolic heart failureThis is a type of left-sided heart failure. The left ventricle can't squeeze as strong as it should. The heart isn't strong enough to pump enough blood to the body.
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), also called diastolic heart failureThis is a type of left-sided heart failure. The left ventricle can't relax or fill fully. The heart has a problem filling with blood.
Source: American Heart Association
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