Heart Failure: Causes
Top Causes
1. Other diseases
Chronic diseases like severe anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, lupus, emphysema, hematochomatosis (iron buildup), amyloidosis and sarcoidosis (inflammatory cells) can lead to heart failure. Another disease that is responsible for heart failure is myocarditis. It is the inflammation of the heart muscle and is caused by a virus. This can result to failure of the heart muscles on the left. Acute heart failure can be caused due to virus attack on the heart muscles, allergic reactions, severe infections, blood clot in the lungs and using some medicines or having some illness that affect the entire body.
In addition to the causes mentioned above, various other factors that are responsible for heart failure are family history, obesity, diabetes, heavy consumption if drugs and alcohol, not taking medications appropriately, large amount of salt intake in foods and sustained fast heart rhythms. Some conditions can simulate the symptoms of heart failure. They include anemia, lung impairment, kidney impairment and pericardial disease.
2. Heart arrhythmias
Abnormal heart rhythms are responsible for making your heart beat faster. This makes your heart work harder than required. This can lead to the weakening of the heart muscles and then heart failure. When the heart beats very slowly, the blood flow to the body may not meet requirement. This can also lead to heart failure.
3. Congenital heart defects
Some people are unlucky that they are born with some kind of heart defect. The heart, its valves or the chambers may not be formed properly at times. In such cases, the healthy areas of the heart have to function harder to cater to the demands of the body. This can lead to weakening of the heart and, eventually, a heart failure.
4. Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a condition caused by the damage of heart muscles. Various conditions can be responsible for muscle damage such as alcohol abuse, infections, toxic effects of certain drugs like cocaine or those used for chemotherapy. In certain cases, some of diseases that affect the body, such as thyroid problems or lupus, can cause some serious damage to heart muscles.
5. Damaged heart valves
The valves of your heart are very important because they help the blood to always flow in the right direction. So, if the valves are damaged due to some reason such as coronary artery disease, some heart defect or heart infection, the heart will be forced to work harder to make the blood flow steadily. Since your heart will be doing more work than required, it will eventually weaken the heart. However, if the faulty valves are identified early, they can be easily fixed. The valves can also be faulty due to some injury or birth defect.
6. Hypertension or high blood pressure
The force by which the blood is pumped through the arteries is known as the blood pressure. When the pressure is high, the heart has to work more to pump the blood throughout the body. In order to cater to the requirements, extra work is done by the muscles, and the heart muscles become very thick. The muscles may become stiff and weak over time, thereby reducing the heartโs ability to pump blood effectively.
7. Coronary artery disease
Coronary heart disease is a common cause of heart failure. The arteries that supply blood to heart muscle become narrow due to fatty deposits over time. This is known as atherosclerosis. When the blood moves through these narrow arteries, some parts of the heart become deprived of the oxygenated blood and weaken. In certain cases, the blood flow is just enough to keep the muscle alive. As a result, the heart may not be able to function well. The plaque formation due to fatty deposits in the arteries may cause a heart attack. A blood clot is formed and blocks the flow of blood to the heart muscle, thus reducing its capacity to pump blood.
8. Other diseases
Chronic diseases like severe anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, lupus, emphysema, hematochomatosis (iron buildup), amyloidosis and sarcoidosis (inflammatory cells) can lead to heart failure. Another disease that is responsible for heart failure is myocarditis. It is the inflammation of the heart muscle and is caused by a virus. This can result to failure of the heart muscles on the left. Acute heart failure can be caused due to virus attack on the heart muscles, allergic reactions, severe infections, blood clot in the lungs and using some medicines or having some illness that affect the entire body.
In addition to the causes mentioned above, various other factors that are responsible for heart failure are family history, obesity, diabetes, heavy consumption if drugs and alcohol, not taking medications appropriately, large amount of salt intake in foods and sustained fast heart rhythms. Some conditions can simulate the symptoms of heart failure. They include anemia, lung impairment, kidney impairment and pericardial disease.
9. Heart arrhythmias
Abnormal heart rhythms are responsible for making your heart beat faster. This makes your heart work harder than required. This can lead to the weakening of the heart muscles and then heart failure. When the heart beats very slowly, the blood flow to the body may not meet requirement. This can also lead to heart failure.
10. Congenital heart defects
Some people are unlucky that they are born with some kind of heart defect. The heart, its valves or the chambers may not be formed properly at times. In such cases, the healthy areas of the heart have to function harder to cater to the demands of the body. This can lead to weakening of the heart and, eventually, a heart failure.
11. Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a condition caused by the damage of heart muscles. Various conditions can be responsible for muscle damage such as alcohol abuse, infections, toxic effects of certain drugs like cocaine or those used for chemotherapy. In certain cases, some of diseases that affect the body, such as thyroid problems or lupus, can cause some serious damage to heart muscles.
12. Damaged heart valves
The valves of your heart are very important because they help the blood to always flow in the right direction. So, if the valves are damaged due to some reason such as coronary artery disease, some heart defect or heart infection, the heart will be forced to work harder to make the blood flow steadily. Since your heart will be doing more work than required, it will eventually weaken the heart. However, if the faulty valves are identified early, they can be easily fixed. The valves can also be faulty due to some injury or birth defect.
13. Hypertension or high blood pressure
The force by which the blood is pumped through the arteries is known as the blood pressure. When the pressure is high, the heart has to work more to pump the blood throughout the body. In order to cater to the requirements, extra work is done by the muscles, and the heart muscles become very thick. The muscles may become stiff and weak over time, thereby reducing the heartโs ability to pump blood effectively.
14. Coronary artery disease
Coronary heart disease is a common cause of heart failure. The arteries that supply blood to heart muscle become narrow due to fatty deposits over time. This is known as atherosclerosis. When the blood moves through these narrow arteries, some parts of the heart become deprived of the oxygenated blood and weaken. In certain cases, the blood flow is just enough to keep the muscle alive. As a result, the heart may not be able to function well. The plaque formation due to fatty deposits in the arteries may cause a heart attack. A blood clot is formed and blocks the flow of blood to the heart muscle, thus reducing its capacity to pump blood.