Early Warning Signs Of Heart Failure

Heart failure is a condition in which an individual's heart is not pumping oxygen-rich blood throughout the body as well as it is supposed to be, often due to stiff ventricles or heart muscle damage causing ventricle dilation. As the condition is progressive, the heart first attempts to make up for this compromised function by pumping faster to increase its output, stretching so the muscles contract with more strength (resulting in an enlarged heart), and accumulating more muscle mass. Many medical conditions can cause damage to the heart and result in heart failure, including suffering from a heart attack, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, arrhythmias, and heart defects. Heart failure is diagnosed through the use of many tests, including echocardiograms, electrocardiograms, stress tests, and blood tests.