There are many causes of CHF, but in each case one or more parts
of the heart does not work well. The most common cause of CHF is
a weakening of the heart muscle itself. This may occur after a heart
attack or if your blood pressure is too high for a long time.
Drinking too much alcohol for many years can also cause the
heart to enlarge and weaken. Occasionally, weakness of the heart
muscle occurs after an infection. Sometimes the cause of the
weakness cannot be found. This is known as cardiomyopathy.
Another common cause of CHF is an abnormally functioning
heart valve. Heart valves open and close to make sure that the blood keeps moving in the right direction. Sometimes a valve becomes narrowed. This is called stenosis. Stenosis prevents the blood from moving forward. A “leaky” valve can also cause CHF by allowing the blood to flow backwards. This is called regurgitation.
CHF may occur if the heart suddenly beats too fast or too slow.
When the heart is beating too fast or slow, it cannot pump blood
properly to the rest of the body. In older adults, a rapid, irregular
beating of the upper heart chambers (called atrial fibrillation) is a
common cause of CHF.
Occasionally, CHF is related to medications. It may also occur
following surgery or in association with other illnesses, such as a
heart attack.
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