Complications

In heart failure, your heart pumps with less force. To make up for the weak pumping, your ventricle enlarges in an attempt to stretch and contract with more strength, allowing it to pump more blood. But, the more it dilates, the more inefficient it becomes. The heart muscle may thicken to help increase pumping strength. More muscle means the heart needs more blood, and your coronary arteries may not be able to supply it. Your heart may also beat faster in an attempt to pump more often. In addition, levels of heart-stimulating hormones go up.

At first, these means of compensating help a weakened heart pump harder. However, eventually these changes make matters worse by weakening your heart muscle.

The outlook for a person with heart failure depends on the cause and the severity, overall health and other factors such as age. Many people's symptoms and heart function will improve with proper treatment. However, heart failure can be life threatening. It can lead to sudden death. People with severe heart failure have debilitating symptoms, and some may require heart transplantation or support with an artificial heart device.

RESOURCES:
WWW.AMERICANHEART.ORG
WWW.TMC.EDU
WWW.EMEDICINE.COM
WWW.MAYOCLINIC.COM
WWW.CARDIOLOGYCHANNEL.COM