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Heart Disease: Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive Heart Failure and other heart diseases have become a growing health issue in the United States these days. Every thirty four seconds, a person in the United States dies from heart disease. That means that more than 2500 people die from heart disease every day. Nearly 6 million people are hospitalized every year in the U.S. due to cardiovascular disease. If you think those statistics are staggering, wait until you hear the next one. Heart disease has been the number one killer in the U.S. every year since the year 1900, except for 1918.

One prevalent type of heart disease is a disease known as Congestive Heart Failure, or (CHF). Congestive Heart Failure is a very serious condition and can not be cured, only treated. But before you give up, please know that you can learn to live a full and enjoyable life with the right treatment and active attention to the lifestyle you live, such as diet, exercise, medication, and other things that will be discussed on this website. Things will have to be changed in your life to lead the healthiest life possible for yourself. Another thing to remember about Congestive Heart Failure is that people who have developed this disease are certainly not alone in having it. Astounding amounts of people currently live with Congestive Heart Failure; Over 5 million in the United States alone. Not only are large numbers of Americans living with this condition at this time, but 500,000 people are diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure every year. As this is not an uncommon problem, there are many hospitals all over the United States with treatment programs for this condition. As was mentioned before, CHF is manageable and treatable. No matter what kind of program the doctor puts you on, always follow the instructions that has been given to you. This will include taking recommended medicines on time, regular doctor visits, and exercise and diet changes. All of these things will make it easier to get the best quality of your life possible.

Components of the Heart

In order to know the complete details of this disease and to understand its ramifications, one must first know the components that make up the heart and that make the heart function. One must also know the components and processes of the heart that are affected by this disease. The heart is a muscular organ that is hollow. It continually pumps blood through the body. The heart is divided into four parts called chambers. The two upper chambers are called atria, atrium singularly. The two lower chambers are called ventricles. The heart is separated vertically by a wall called the Septum. It separates the right and left sides, the left side having the left atrium and left ventricle; the right side having the right atrium and right ventricle. The heart also contains valves that permit blood to flow through the heart, to the lungs, and out to the body through the aorta. These valves, the tricuspid, pulmonic, and mitral valves, act like small one-way doors that keep the blood flowing in a forward motion. Each time that the heart beats, the valves open allowing blood to flow into the next chamber, or out of the heart. More details can be found at the American Hospital Association