- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is the buildup of blood in the lungs because of inadequate
pumping action of the heart. - CHF has many causes, and CHF therapy focuses on eliminating the cause, reducing
symptoms, and preventing a further progressive decrease in the heart’s pumping
function. - Heart failure therapy requires lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, quitting smoking,
limiting alcohol consumption, and reducing salt and fluid in the diet. - Depending on the cause of heart failure, the treatment may be surgical or medical. Both
strategies aim to relieve symptoms and to increase the heart’s ability to pump. - Medications that treat CHF rid the body of excess fluid, reduce the blood vessels’
resistance to ejection of blood, and combat the production of hormones that increase the
heart’s workload.
