What Causes Heart Failure?
Conditions that damage the heart muscle or make it
work too hard can cause heart failure. Over time, the heart weakens. It isn't
able to fill with and/or pump blood as well as it should.
As the heart weakens, certain proteins and other
substances may be released into the blood. They have a toxic effect on the
heart and blood flow, and they cause heart failure to worsen.
Major Causes
The most common causes of heart failure are
coronary
artery disease (CAD),
high
blood pressure, and
diabetes. Treating these problems can prevent or improve heart
failure.
Coronary Artery Disease
CAD occurs when a fatty material called plaque
(plak) builds up in your coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich
blood to your heart. Plaque narrows the arteries, causing less blood to flow to
your heart muscle. This can lead to chest pain,
heart attack, and heart damage.
High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against
the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure is “high” if it stays at
or above 140/90 mmHg over a period of time. High blood pressure stiffens blood
vessels and makes the heart work harder. Without treatment, the heart may be
damaged.
Diabetes
This disease occurs when the level of sugar in the
blood is high. The body doesn't make enough insulin or doesn't use its insulin
properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps convert food to energy. High sugar
levels can damage blood vessels around the heart.
Other Causes
Other diseases and conditions that can lead to heart
failure are:
- Heart
muscle diseases. These diseases may be present at birth or due to injury or
infection.
- Heart valve disorders. These problems may be
present at birth or due to infections, heart attacks, or damage from heart
disease.
- Arrhythmias
(ah-RITH-me-ahs), or irregular heartbeats. These heart problems may be present
at birth or due to heart disease or heart defects.
- Congenital
heart defects. These heart problems are present at birth.
Other factors also can injure the heart muscle and
lead to heart failure. These include:
- Treatments for cancer, such as radiation and
chemotherapy
- Thyroid disorders (having either too much or too
little thyroid hormone in the body)
- Alcohol abuse
- HIV/AIDS
- Cocaine and other illegal drug use
- Too much vitamin E
Heart damage from
obstructive
sleep apnea may cause heart failure to worsen. In obstructive sleep apnea,
your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you’re sleeping. This can
deprive the heart of oxygen and increase its workload. Treating this sleep
problem may improve heart failure. |