Congestive Heart Failure is also called as heart failure. This is a state of health alteration where there is a decrease in the pumping action of your heart. Because of this, the blood flow supplied by your heart is not sufficient to meet the needs of your system. There are two types of heart failure. These are the left sided heart failure and the right sided heart failure. The symptoms of the two types of congestive heart failure differ. There is also difference in the treatment that is why it is important to know the congestive heart failure symptoms depending on the type. These symptoms should not be confused with the signs of a stroke.
Left Sided Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms
The most common left sided congestive heart failure symptoms are crackles and rales. This is the sound that is heard in the respiratory tract of person suffering from the disease. This manifestation is the result of the trapping of the fluids in the respiratory organ which is the lungs.
Because of the inability of the blood to pump the blood and other fluids present in the bloodstream, there is also a pulmonary edema present. Edema is basically the retention of fluid in your lungs. This can be prevented by means of administering diuretics to the patient affected.
Cyanosis is also among the congestive heart failure symptoms on left sided part. Cyanosis is the state where there is a bluish discoloration of the face and the skin of a person. Because of left sided congestive heart failure, there is retention of fluids in your lung cells. These fluids will inhibit the lungs to do its function such as binding of oxygen to the red blood cells. In return, the patient with this disease will look cyanotic in response to the decrease in the oxygen concentration in the body.
Right Sided Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms
As mentioned, there are different manifestations of congestive heart failure depending on the type. In this case, there is systemic edema present in the body of the affected patient. This is different from the other type of congestive heart failure which is merely respiratory edema. The presence of systemic edema is the result of alteration in the systemic blood circulation.
Jugular vein distension is also present in people who are suffering from congestive heart failure. Jugular vein is the vessel which is found at the sides of the neck. This vein usually distends because of the increased fluids in your system.
Bipedal edema is also another manifestation of congestive heart failure. Bipedal refers to swollen extremities because of the trapped fluids in your system. These fluids are not able to circulate back in the body because of the decrease in the pumping action of your heart. In order to eliminate bipedal edema, person with congestive heart failure must raise his feet at the level of the heart. In severe cases, doctors are ordering diuretics in order to excrete the excess fluids in your system.
These are the common congestive heart failure symptoms. In determining the manifestations, see to it that you know the type of congestive heart failure happening to you. This is to clearly figure out the manifestations that you might expect.