What happens if you don't treat congestive heart failure?

Heart failure can reduce the blood flow to your kidneys, which can eventually cause kidney failure if left untreated. Kidney damage from heart failure can require dialysis for treatment. Heart valve problems.
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How long can congestive heart failure go untreated?

Although there have been recent improvements in congestive heart failure treatment, researchers say the prognosis for people with the disease is still bleak, with about 50% having an average life expectancy of less than five years. For those with advanced forms of heart failure, nearly 90% die within one year.
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Does congestive heart failure mean death?

Although it can be a severe disease, heart failure is not a death sentence, and treatment is now better than ever. When this happens, blood and fluid may back up into the lungs (congestive heart failure), and some parts of the body don't get enough oxygen-rich blood to work normally.
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What happens when congestive heart failure gets worse?

As heart failure gets worse, your heart muscle pumps less blood to your organs, and you move toward the next stage of heart failure.
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What are the end stages of heart failure?

Symptoms associated with end stage heart disease include trouble breathing, exhaustion, weight loss, changes in skin color, swelling, and abdominal pain all or most of the time.
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Heart Failure Explained Clearly - Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)



Is dying of congestive heart failure painful?

Pain. Unfortunately, those suffering from heart failure may experience pain and discomfort as the end of their life approaches. Pain relief medication can be used, including opioids like morphine or non-opioid medications like acetaminophen.
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Do you sleep a lot with congestive heart failure?

Still, it's serious. As your heart works overtime, it can cause tiredness, shortness of breath and a feeling of being simply worn out. Such are the signs of fatigue, one of the most common symptoms of congestive heart failure.
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How do you know when congestive heart failure is end stage?

End-stage heart failure: what to expect.

Shortness of Breath (Dyspnea): While shortness of breath is common throughout CHF (particularly while active), it becomes much more persistent towards the end of life. Patients start to experience dyspnea while resting as well.
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How quickly does heart failure progress?

Symptoms can develop quickly (acute heart failure) or gradually over weeks or months (chronic heart failure).
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How long can you live with fluid around your heart?

In chronic cases, it can last for more than 3 months. Some people with pericardial effusion may not show any symptoms, and doctors may discover the condition by chance — for example, if they notice fluid around the heart spaces in medical imaging that they have conducted for a different purpose.
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How long can an elderly person live with congestive heart failure?

Conclusions Among elderly patients hospitalized with heart failure, median survival is about 2.5 years. However, there is considerable heterogeneity in survival, with 25% of patients dying within 1 year and 25% surviving for more than 5 years.
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What is the main cause of congestive heart failure?

The most common cause of congestive heart failure is coronary artery disease. Risk factors for coronary artery disease include: high levels of cholesterol and/or triglyceride in the blood.
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What does heart failure fatigue feel like?

People with heart failure may feel constantly tired and have difficulty performing daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries.
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Why does your stomach swell when you have congestive heart failure?

Fluid and water retention.

A weak heart pumps less blood to your kidneys and causes fluid and water retention, resulting in swollen ankles, legs, and abdomen (called edema) and weight gain. This can also cause an increased need to urinate during the night as your body attempts to get rid of this excess fluid.
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What are some signs that death is near?

What are the signs that someone is dying?
  • feeling weak and tired.
  • sleeping more or being drowsy.
  • feeling hot or cold.
  • cold hands or feet.
  • eating and drinking less.
  • bladder or bowel problems.
  • breathlessness (dyspnoea)
  • pain.
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What are the signs of last days of life?

End-of-Life Signs: The Final Days and Hours
  • Breathing difficulties. Patients may go long periods without breathing, followed by quick breaths. ...
  • Drop in body temperature and blood pressure. ...
  • Less desire for food or drink. ...
  • Changes in sleeping patterns. ...
  • Confusion or withdraw.
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Why does heart failure cause weak legs?

It may also be a symptom of general heart failure. Without enough strength, the legs may not get the oxygenated blood they need to properly move. This may result in overall muscle fatigue.
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Can lying down too much cause heart problems?

Sitting or lying down for too long increases your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.
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What is a cardiac cough like?

A productive cough that produces white or blood-tinged mucus could also be a sign of fluid buildup in the lungs. It can also cause labored breathing and wheezing.
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What does a heart failure cough sound like?

You may experience a persistent cough or wheezing (a whistling sound in the lungs or laboured breathing) due to your heart failure. The wheezing is similar to asthma but has a different cause in heart failure.
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Do you feel cold with heart failure?

People with heart failure may find that they often feel cold in their arms, hands, feet, and legs (the extremities). This happens because the body is circulating most of the available blood to the brain and other vital organs to compensate for the failing heart's inability to pump enough blood to the entire body.
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What is the most common treatment for congestive heart failure?

Medicines are the main treatment for heart failure, but for some people surgery may help. Operations that can help with heart failure include: heart valve surgery. a coronary angioplasty or bypass.
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How long does an 80 year old live with congestive heart failure?

For female patients of mean age 80 years, the life expectancy was 4.5 years (95% CI 3.6-5.7), compared with 8.5 years for the general population of women of the same age. Conclusion: The presence of chronic heart failure in older patients results in an approximately 50% reduction in life expectancy.
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How long can a 75 year old live with heart failure?

Prognosis at different ages

A report averaging several smaller studies found that people under age 65 generally had a 5-year survival rate of 78.8 percent following CHF diagnosis. The same report found that people over age 75 had an average 5-year survival rate of 49.5 percent following diagnosis.
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