What is Heart Failure?

Heart failure is a common health issue in Canada (especially in the elderly) and is currently increasing in our population. It has been estimated that around 400,000 Canadians currently suffer from heart failure. So what exactly is heart failure and how does it occur?

Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle becomes damaged. There are many different ways that heart muscle can become damaged. Some of the most common reasons are:

• Heart disease
• A heart attack
• Long-term high blood pressure
• Diabetes
• A valve in the heart that is not functioning properly
• A congenital birth defect in the heart
• Lung disease
• Infection
• High alcohol consumption over a long period of time

The above conditions can cause your heart chambers to become weakened and enlarged - called “dilated” heart failure. They can also cause your heart muscle to become thicker - called “hypertrophic” heart failure.

When the heart chambers become enlarged (dilated) due to weakness of the heart muscle, less blood is pumped out with each heartbeat. If the heart muscle becomes thicker (hypertrophic) and stiffer with a smaller heart chamber for blood, less blood may also be pumped with each heart beat.

Blood carries nutrients and oxygen to our body tissues. Therefore, when less blood is pumped out, more congestion occurs in the lungs, less nutrients and oxygen get delivered to our body tissues, which ultimately results in many of the symptoms identified with heart failure.

The following sections will serve to provide a more complete understanding of what heart failure is and its causes and consequences.